a note from a friend

Almost everyone that lives in Cape Coral moved here from somewhere else.  So everyone around here knows what it is like to move away from friends.  Here is a note from one of my KC friends, just telling me about their day.  I was so proud of them and their heart for the kingdom.  😎

it sure is a good thing to be kind and pay it forward.
I was in Chicago for a business meeting all week last week. On Sunday I went to lunch at Ditka’s and ordered two burgers and fries, one of them was to go. In conversation with my server she learned I was getting the second to give to a random homeless person. She was so touched. I found someone on the street and gave it to them. The person was grateful but not extremely so. Oh well I thought they are going through a tough time and I am not to judge their reaction. I felt good.
Later I bought a wrap at Starbucks for another person and later gave someone else some money.
My heart and mind were in a good place that day and I wanted to share my good fortunate with a few other folks.

Oh how stories like this thrill my heart.  Notice that my friend was not concerned that the recipient was not grateful, they were just glad to help.  Friends there is so much joy in helping others.  Remember Jesus ended the story of the Good Samaritan by saying, "go thou and do likewise."

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

in or not in the Bible

There are many famous phrases that people assume are in the Bible.  Two good examples of "not in the Bible but we thought they were" are:

God helps those who help themselves.
and
Cleanliness is next to Godliness.

One that some people regard as a common old saying or colloquialism but actually is in the Bible is this:
Do unto others as you would have them to do unto you.
                                               Luke 6:31
                                               Mt. 7:12

Do unto others as you would have them do unto you is not merely a request that we be nice.  It is also an insinuation that we should not retaliate and it can be applied to so many  things in life.  If you are upset about something and wish to lash out, just ask yourself how you would like to be treated if someone was upset with you.  If you are cut off in traffic and want to retaliate, remember the times that you inadvertently or in a hurry popped in front of someone.  How would you like to be treated?

Great advice from Jesus.  That is why it is called the "Golden Rule."

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

stories pt 5

This is part 5 of a series of stories from my life. Earlier posts began a few weeks ago.

I was 16. By this time, I had a growing heart of faith in Christ, but I was also causing my parents some real grief. I was a typical teenage boy.

I purchased a picture from a man who came into the bike shop where I worked. It was a man out on the rocks…a seascape.  It cost about $25 which was a good deal of money for a young man that made $1.50 per hour. I knew that this picture should be my mother’s birthday present on July 19th.

The day came to give her the picture.  Remember, I am a pain in the neck at the time.

She was drinking her morning coffee, sitting in the backyard at the patio table, 4 chairs with a fringed umbrella. She opened the picture just as the sun was coming up over the peak of the house. The edge of the umbrella and the roof-line, cut the sunlight into a beam. The beam of light was fluted by the tassels on the edge of the umbrella. The light looked as though a beam of light was shining from heaven, down upon the man on the rocks.

My mother started to cry. I started to cry. She said, “do you see it?” I said, “I see it.” She said, “that man in the picture is you, and now I know that God will take care of you my son.”

Later in life, when I was going through a rough patch, my mom gave the picture back to me.  She said that I would need to see it more than she did.  The picture has hung in my office for 30 years.  Come by and see it sometime.

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

election results

I have talked with several people since the presidential election.  Some are happy, some are sad.  I heard a speaker talk recently about the joy or disappointment of who won and who lost.  He reminded the audience that for Christians, our identity does not spring from Trump or Clinton, Democrat or Republican, or winning or losing.

Our identity is found in Jesus Christ.  We are created in the image of God.  We are his children and we have to remember this before all other concerns.  We belong to our Father.

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

Celebrate Recovery

I had heard of the program "Celebrate Recovery" while living in Kansas City.  Cape Coral First hosts the program on Monday night.  Although many think of it as a place for those recovering from alcohol or drugs [and it is] it is also a place for anyone with a hurt, a habit or a hangup.

That takes in most of us.

At CR the worship service has a tone of reality and intensity that you don't always find in most churches on Sunday mornings.  The discussion, the prayers and the determination is inspirational.  You know that every person there is deeply seeking God.  No one is going through the motions.

If you have a hurt, a habit or a hang up, you may want to try CR.  It meets every Monday night and everyone is welcome.  There is a light dinner from 6-6:45, then worship and 7 and small group at 8 if you choose to stay for that.

Too many people live with hurt when help is right around the corner.

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

Eckhardt

Eckhart von Hochheim (1260 – 1328), commonly known as Meister Eckhart was a German Catholic Priest of the Dominican order. He is a revered and studied, theologian, philosopher and mystic.

About all I really remember about the guy is this quote:

If the only prayer you learned in your whole life was, "thank you," that would be enough.

                                                                           ~Meister Eckhart

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

thankful

How did you feel when you awoke this day?  Happy? Sad?  How do you feel about the day before you?

I don't know who said this, but I think it is true:  "If you can find one thing to be thankful for, and keep focused on that, everything changes."  In other words, my entire composure can turn for the better simply because I am focusing on a positive.

Gratitude is so powerful.

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

Thankful

Today I am thankful for many things.

I am thankful for my family.
I am thankful for grace.  The forgiveness that God and others give to me and the same that I can offer to others.
I am thankful for food.  So many people around the world are hungry today.
I am thankful for the chances that we have to help others and the joy that comes into our lives when we learn to live outside of ourselves.
I am thankful for friends, old and new.
I am thankful for the gift of life itself.  To be alive, to live, to breathe, to see, to think.  Life is such an amazing gift from our Father.

I am thankful for you.

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

tomorrow

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving Day.  It always makes me remember that famous French General Napoleon.  He hated Thanksgiving.  It was his worst holiday.

Why, you ask?

Because anytime Napoleon sat down to a dinner of Thanksgiving turkey, all he ever got were the bony parts.

That is one of my all time favorite jokes. 😊

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

stories pt 4

It was the next to the last day of 8th grade. I had not missed a day of school in two years. I was trying for perfect attendance in Jr. High. We were walking home from school and my head and neck hurt. I still remember that. I moped around. I missed school the next day. I ended up in bed. My head was feeling progressively worse. I was stuck in bed. This went on for a week. I begged my parents to take me to the Doctor. They were fairly reluctant to do so, and figured that I would get over it. Finally they relented. The doctor took one look at me and put me in the hospital.

They explained to me that I had meningitis and proceeded to do a spinal tap on me. I was 13 years old. I was in such pain; the spinal tap did not bother me too much.

This was in the old days when visiting hours were enforced and hippa laws did not exist.  The doctors explained my condition in a manner that I knew I was pretty sick.  I remember them telling my mom that the next 24 hours would tell if I lived or died.

Late one night while I was in the hospital alone, I awoke in the middle of the night. At the foot of my bed was an angel. It looked like an angel or a heavenly Jesus. I don’t know why, but I said to the being, “If you let me live, I will give my life to you.” I don't know why I said that - I was just a kid.

I got better. That last spinal tap was a real nasty experience. As striking as this experience was, the significance of it never really registered until other things began to happen to me later in life.

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

stories about me 3

Your first Prayer. Your first spiritual thought.

When was your first spiritual thought that was truly your own? Mine was in the summer of 1969. We were moving to California. I was 12. I felt that I had made a mess of my life to that point…..which is an interesting thought for a 12 year old. Actually a terrible thought for a 12 year old..........

I remember sitting in my room. It was full of packed boxes. Tomorrow the movers were coming. I remember sitting there, forlorn, and sad because I was moving, sad because I had “ruined” my friendships and because I was not popular, and hopeful that I was going to get a new start in California. I prayed a sincere prayer,” Lord, help me to make new friends in California.” I have always remembered that moment. It was my first sincere prayer.

Sincere prayers are good.  A great question to ask about your prayers is this.... "was I sincere?"  That is all that matters.  I must believe that God honors sincerity.

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

stories about me 2

I was in church every Sunday growing up.  No exceptions.

We got to take one toy.  I always took a G.I. Joe.  In my childhood, children were to be seen and not heard.

When I was in third grade, I was walking out of church with my mom.  We were in line to shake hands.  Pastor Koenig asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up.

First, being a good Lutheran, I told him the truth:  "I want to be a football player."
Then, because I felt sorry for him, I also said, at the age of 9, "I want to be a football player, or a Pastor."

I have no idea why I said that. I was a kid.  It is a mysterious moment in my memories.

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

Hello Scott C

stories about me

Although I have no imminent sense of my demise, I am going to post some of my most private stories over the next few weeks.  Stories that I have not told.  Stories that introverts hold close.  Stories that are random, stories that may or may not mean something to you.

Here is the first one.

I was born on July 5, 1957 at St. Luke's hospital in Kansas City.  I was baptized on Sunday July 14th, 1957 at the Zion Lutheran Church at 75th and Belinder in Prairie Village, Kansas by Pastor Fred Koenig.  [today it is no longer a Lutheran Church, I think that the church is known as the Mercy Church.]

My mom, who was a mess most of her life, told me on several occasions that my first smile was the during that baptism.

A smile at your baptism?  Sounds like a good start to life.  I have always taken a sense of joy in that first smile.

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

freewill

Someone asked me about free will the other day.  They said that they don't see much of it in the Bible, especially in the old testament.

I would first say this, if you read the Bible looking for a God that seems to control everything, you can find that God.  But if you read the Bible looking for a God that seems to give people room and allows people to exercise their free will, you can find a good deal of that as well.

Samson was not forced to tie the foxes tails together.  He chose to do that.
Moses pushed back on God but finally accepted the job of leading Israel.
Peter chose to deny Jesus.
Jesus chose to go to the cross.

On and on we could go.
The question is, do we want to believe that we are marionettes or do we want to believe that we have choices.  I don't think that we glorify God when we blame everything on him.  I do believe that God is pleased when we make choices that are pleasing to him.

So live.  L.I.V.E. Live.  God has given you the gift of choice.  Choose well.

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

On winning

When our teams win, we are happy.  When our teams lose, we are unhappy.  I think that too much of our egos are tied up in the fate of our sports teams.

Remember that when your team wins and you are happy, there is an entire other group of people that are unhappy.  And remember that when your team loses, someone somewhere who was rooting for their team is happy.

It is ok to want other people to be happy.  We are not going to win all the time.  Other fans have the right to celebrate from time to time.  In this life we need to share the love.

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

servers

Since I am alone a lot, I eat at local restaurants from time to time.  If there is a server that I like, I might give them $5 as they walk by, even if they are not my server.  They ask me "why?"  I tell them that I am sure that someone shorted them today and so I am just making up for that.

One server flat out told me "no" the other day and I said to them, "oh, please don't rob me of the chance to be nice to you.  If you prefer, take it and give it to someone else."  They took the money.

Sometimes folks are so surprised by kindness that they don't know what to do.  Next time you do a random act of kindness and are resisted by the intended recipient, just tell them that it makes you happy to be nice, please don't rob me of the chance to be kind to you.

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

nothing to say

It is hard to blog every day when some days you feel like you have nothing to say.  I thank my friend Lions Den Man for stepping in to cover for me in times like that.

Sometimes life is hectic.  Sometimes my brain or heart might be running low.  Some days it is hard to know what to write.  If you have days like that, well you are not alone.  Stay with it.  Keep going.  Keep living.  Keep caring.  Things almost always get better.

Spend time with those who love you and give your heart some room for your smile to return.  Resting is allowed.  Sabbath is encouraged.

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

society

A few years back a movie called “Into the Wild” was made about a young man who chooses to drop out of society.  I heard a song from the movie the other night. Sad to say I never listened to the lyrics until that moment. They have me thinking…..

Society – Eddie Vedder

it's a mystery to me

We have a greed

With which we have agreed

You think you have to want

More than you need

Until you have it all you won't be free

Society, you're a crazy breed

I hope you're not lonely without me

When you want more than you have

You think you need

And when you think more than you want

Your thoughts begin to bleed

I think I need to find a bigger place

'Cause when you have more than you think

You need more space

Society, you're a crazy breed

I hope you're not lonely without me

Society, crazy and deep

I hope you're not lonely without me

There's those thinking more or less less is more

But if less is more how you're keeping score?

Means for every point you make

Your level…

Peace,

Lion’s Den Man

simple works

A prayer was given to close and send us on our way last week at the WCC Men’s Gathering. It followed a thought provoking talk about the times we are experiencing here in the United States. Concerns maybe we all have were brought forth.  Dealing with them using the teachings of Christ help put them in perspective.

The sending prayer message was simple and simply perfect. Guide us Lord. Guide us.

Peace,

Lion’s Den Man

good motto

Things happen. Life happens. Blink. Blink. Blink.

Choices. Good. Choices Bad.

Reflect. Don’t dwell. Learn. Move forward.

“I wouldn't be where I am today if it weren't for those character-building situations. Mistakes are stepping stones to an evolving life. “

Motto -. “It’s a new day. Clean the Slate.”

Peace,

Lion’s Den Man

designed with a purpose

My wife and I took a trip a few weeks back to the Crystal Bridges Museum. The main purpose for this visit was to tour the Frank Lloyd Wright home they now have on site. Many take-aways for me but the one that stuck most was when our tour guide pointed out the intention of the home’s design. “To push you out of spaces of little value and into spaces where you are forced to be social with man and interactive with nature.”

Maybe it’s just me but I think we need more places like this.

Peace,

Lion’s Den Man

I'm normal

So I have gotten into the habit of adding these words when someone introduces me as their pastor.
If they say, "this is Jeff Brinkman, my pastor."
I have started saying, "yes but I am normal."

Someone called me out on that the other day.  They asked if I was saying that other pastors are not normal.  Well, that is not what I mean at all.

What I mean is that many people expect a pastor to judge them or guilt them.  Sometimes pastors come across as above you.  I reject this.  I will not judge you or guilt you.  And I am not above anyone.  The spiritual life is something that we do together.

I am normal.  Sort of.

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

lose on purpose

I heard a story the other day about a married couple that had this rule.

If there ever is an argument, the one that apologizes first, wins.

I love it.  Go home and lose an argument.  The person that you live with is more important than who is right or wrong.

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

critter

A critter had taken up residence on my back porch [lanai] at the parsonage.  I never saw it, but I saw the results of it's bathroom breaks.  From the size of the droppings, I thought that this was a big mouse or a rat.  I wondered how something like that could get into the porch and where it was living.

I got tired of cleaning up after it, and I was tired of not knowing what was out there, so I got some glue traps and put them in strategic locations.  About a week later, I captured the culprit.  One really big lizard, and boy did he eat a lot.

I'm sorry for his family and friends, but at least now the patio is clean again.

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

question

A friend of mine recently wrote and asked a question:

If God's will be done and our life is pre-written, why should we spend time asking God for favors or to change things? Maybe we should just thank him for the blessings we have? Bewildered...

I wrote back: I don't believe that it is all pre-written. I believe in free will, that we have choices and our choices matter. Having said that, I also believe that gratitude is among the most noble of character traits.

In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. 

 1 Thessalonians 5:18

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

I thought of you today

I thought of you today.  With joy and a deep sense of appreciation, I thought of you.

Then I got to thinking about how nice it is to know that someone is thinking of you with warmth in their heart.  I am so glad that our Father is thinking of us, and thinking of us with grace and love.

I thought of you today.

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

What is important

I received the following from my friend Dave Templeman.  He is a great guy and wrote this on his blog about his friend and coworker.  I thought it was worth sharing.  You can read this on his web site at http://www.thatjobguy.com/2016/10/whats-important/

In February of this year my friend and colleague Jeff McMahill was diagnosed with non-Hodgkins lymphoma. The survival rate for his particular strain (Burkitts) is anywhere from a 30% – 91% depending on the level of risk. Jeff was diagnosed at Stage 3 but being an otherwise overly healthy male the doctors were confident he would be on the upper end of that range. I knew it would be a difficult recovery but have been completely optimistic he would survive this horrid disease. My heart was broken last week when doctors told him that treatment had not eradicated the cancer, it is now growing out of control, they are out of options, and it is time to call hospice.

Tuesday, October 25th my friend Jeff was told he had a month left.

In the week since that awful day his family has not left his side. Dozens of friends have been to see him, many who leave with a heart wrenching goodbye hug. But amidst the profound sadness has been the sound of laughter as we reminisce over a life well lived. Jeff does not want to spend these last days alone. He is surrounding himself with those who love him and rather than simply die, he’s living his last days to their fullest.

What’s important to Jeff right now should be important to us all. The stuff means nothing. What’s important is the relationships we build throughout our lives. The experiences we share together.

Jeff and his wife Annie went to New York last year for Game Four of the World Series. I remember Jeff telling me he wasn’t sure why they were spending so much money on a single baseball game, but he spent it because who knows when the Royals would be back in the World Series. The Royals lost the game they attended, but the next evening at a NYC bar full of Royals fans while everyone else poured their champagne into glasses, Jeff sprayed his bottle all over complete strangers.

That’s how Jeff is, and that’s how I’ll remember him. A man full of life, loved by all who had the privilege of calling him friend.

Bank accounts can be rebuilt. Broken relationships can be repaired. You can always get more “stuff.” Time is the only thing you can’t get back.

Cherish every moment – the clock is ticking for us all.

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

finally

Finally a bumper sticker that I like.

In a world where I get sick of political slogans on cars, and guilt laden "Christian" things on cars, I found this beauty.

Wag more, bark less.  A friend tells me that this is the slogan of a brand of pet items.  It should be all of our slogan.

Life is too short.  Wag more, bark less.

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

Mayan Temples

I could never understand how Mayan temples, in fact, entire villages could get covered up with vegetation in such a short time.  Being from Kansas City, things die off in the winter.  The growing season is shorter.

When we bought the house in Florida, I started having to trim plants and trees.  Oak trees, bird of paradise [12' tall], ginger, hedge, palm trees, viburnum and the list goes on.  Any time I am there, there is something to trim.  Nothing ever stops growing.  I am not at the house every week, but if I were, there would be a pile like this out at the street every week.  It is amazing how fast things just keep on growing here!

And so I think of how many people get stuck in life and stop growing.  How would our lives improve if we were all open and willing to keep stretching and growing!  We never arrive in this life, we should always be in growth mode, moving towards our God.

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

trunk or treat

On Monday night I witnessed the historic Cape Coral First UMC's trunk or treat.  I had heard all about it.  Popcorn, snow cones, hot dogs, [all free].  40 cars decorated, DJ, bubble machine, bouncy houses and thousands of people.  It did not disappoint.  It was everything that I had heard about.

What I was not prepared for was how the event made me feel.  Yes of course it was a good event for our members- getting together, dressing up, letting their hair down, having fun, fellowship, and enjoying the kids and their costumes.  But, the observation that so so many of the people there had come from the community was touching.  Unchurched, lower income folks whose kids probably didn't get candy like this very often.  It was a blessed gift to the wider Cape Coral community.  I thought of the story that Jesus told in Luke 14 about a great banquet.  The master of the house invites his friends to come for the feast and they all decline with lame excuses.  One just got married.  One bought a cow.  So the master sends the servant to the far side of town, to the other side of the tracks and the least of these are invited in.  Into the master's home where there was a great celebration of love and family.

What I saw on Monday night was a beautiful picture of kingdom living.  Everyone is welcome.  Everyone is celebrated.  Everyone is loved.  I was blessed.

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

All Saints Day

I love music.  I assume that most people do.  There is lots of music in the Bible- harps, tambourines,  lyres and such.  Today is All Saints Day - a day when we remember our loved ones.

And so I thought of this song.  Music reaches us.  It speaks into our souls.  I find songs all the time that make me stop and think.  I heard one the other day that I really like.  Mike and the Mechanics sing In the Living Years.  Here are the lyrics:

Every generation
Blames the one before
And all of their frustrations
Come beating on your door

I know that I'm a prisoner
To all my Father held so dear
I know that I'm a hostage
To all his hopes and fears
I just wish I could have told him in the living years

Oh, crumpled bits of paper
Filled with imperfect thought
Stilted conversations
I'm afraid that's all we've got

You say you just don't see it
He says it's perfect sense
You just can't get agreement
In this present tense
We all talk a different language
Talking in defence

Say it loud (say it loud), say it clear (oh say it clear)
You can listen as well as you hear
It's too late (it's too late) when we die (oh when we die)
To admit we don't see eye to eye

So we open up a quarrel
Between the present and the past
We only sacrifice the future
It's the bitterness that lasts

So don't yield to the fortunes
You sometimes see as fate
It may have a new perspective
On a different day
And if you don't give up, and don't give in
You may just be okay

So say it loud, say it clear (oh say it clear)
You can listen as well as you hear
Because it's too late, it's too late (it's too late) when we die (oh when we die)
To admit we don't see eye to eye

I wasn't there that morning
When my Father passed away
I didn't get to tell him
All the things I had to say

I think I caught his spirit
Later that same year
I'm sure I heard his echo
In my baby's new born tears
I just wish I could have told him in the living years

Say it loud, say it clear (oh say it clear)
You can listen as well as you hear
It's too late (it's too late) when we die (it's too late when we die)
To admit we don't see eye to eye

So say it, say it, say it loud (say it loud)
Say it clear (come on say it clear)

link to the song on youtube

The chorus has an interesting line - "say it loud, say it clear, you can listen as well as you hear."  I think it simply means that if you have the gift of hearing, then you can actually listen to someone if you choose to do so.

So here is this song about our parents and how we don't get them and we fight them, and then one day we become them.  Oh my, this is so my experience.  And how I wish I could say thank you to my Dad while he was still alive- in the living years.

My parents died fairly young.  Mom at 61, Dad at 72.  If your parents are living, call them and tell them that you love them.  Do it while you still can.

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

Halloween

Today is Halloween.

My mom had a big devil. She was always worried about him and always resisting him. People that believe in a big devil often spend lots of time talking about him. They are wasting time that could be directed toward our loving heavenly Father. For more on this topic see:

http://www.jeffbrinkman.com/TH_ChristianTheol.html

Anyway, all of this went out the window on Halloween. My mom loved Halloween! She would put on scary music, turn the lights down and wait for the kids. She had a sign with a witch on it that she put on the front door every year that read, "Welcome kiddies, put all your goodies in the box below. Go quietly and no one will get hurt."

I just want to weigh in on Halloween. It is not the devil's day. The devil does not get a day. he is a created being. he is not the opposite of God. he can't be everywhere at the same time any more than Gabriel or Michael, the other archangels. I am not even capitalizing the word he when I refer to him at the beginning of a sentence.

We should spend our days loving God, not fighting the devil.

Halloween is a great day for kids. Love them. Dress them up. Feed them candy. It makes for great memories.

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

quote

A dear friend of mine recently sent me a quote from the book  UNFINISHED by Richard Stearns.  That book is the follow up to one of my favorite books, The Hole in our Gospel.   I asked her how she got connected to the book.... I loved the answer... she sold her home and the person that moved out left the book there. So she picked it up and read it.   Here is the quote.

 "If we are not personally engaged in God's great mission in the world, then we have missed  the very thing He created us to do."

No commentary needed.

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

cars are evil

Give a 16 year old a car and their world changes.  It totally opens up.  Take away the keys from an aging parent, and their world closes in around them.  Give a Christian a car and you run the risk of total moral failure.

I am beginning to believe that a car is like a truth serum.  Give a person a car and who they really are comes out.

We all have streaks of selfishness, we all think what we are doing is so very important, and when we are in a car, it is on display for all to see.  People plaster their cars with crosses and such and then drive like they are possessed.

What if we all made the commitment to go the speed limit.  I think that would be the Christian thing to do.

What if instead of telling people that we were Christians, we drove like we were Christians?  Christian music playing from the radio and fish on the tailgate are no substitute for love, joy peace, and patience even when we are in a hurry.

Cars are evil.  They make good people do crazy things.

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

I'm right

I’m Right- aren't I????

We love to be right.  We hate to be wrong.  Why?

We all think that we are right.  If we thought we held the wrong view we would change our minds.  We think we are right.  We hate to be wrong.

Well, sometimes we are wrong.  I am wrong.  You are wrong.   Be open to being wrong.  It is going to happen.  We just don’t see things as clearly as we like to think that we do.

I may be right, I may be wrong, I may be crazy.  Our life meaning, our value is not defined by how right we are.  It is hard to enjoy life when we always have to be right.

It’s a beautiful day in God’s world.  I am totally right about that.

better

It is better to suffer for doing right, than to suffer for doing wrong.
And a person can always choose to do right.
what are the choices that you face today?

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

made me cry

I was in Nicaragua a few weeks ago and I was given a packet of cards to read on the trip.  One friend wrote something that touched me very deeply.  He wrote, “I wish I was in Nicaragua with you.  Heck, I wish I was anywhere with you.”  It made me cry when I read it.  It is making me cry now as I write about it.  I am going to steal that line and use it.  

I wish I was there with you.  Heck I wish I was anywhere with you.

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

friend

A friend sent me this quote.............

I would rather walk through darkness with a friend, then walk in the light alone.
Helen Keller

Interesting quote when you consider it comes from a blind person. I want to ask her to clarify...... are you saying that I am ok, content as a blind person because I have friends walking with me?

Certainly friends make the difficult times more bearable and are of the most precious commodities in this life.

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

spiritual help

 Someone asked, what will we do of a spiritual nature for the people of Nicaragua?

We can pray for them.  We can probably take them Bibles.  We can encourage them.

But let us remember that they are already Christians that deeply love and trust God.

How about we fly them here and let them give a sermon series to us on how to trust god when you have nothing.

4 weeks on…………

• How to trust God and not complain when you have substandard health care
• How to trust god when you live on $150 per month
• How to trust God when you don’t have running water, a shower, or air conditioning
• How to trust God when other Christians make excuses as to why they are not helping you.
• How to trust god when you never get a vacation from your life

How can we help them develop spiritually?

I don’t know.  Maybe they are the ones that need to help us.

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

Song

When I was a teenager I used to have a cassette tape of Bill Gaither music.  I thought of one of those songs the other day.  Here are the lyrics:

Something beautiful, something good.  All my confusion, He understood.  All I had to offer him was brokenness and strife, but he made something beautiful of my life.

 here is the link to the song on youtube

God can make something beautiful of your life.

Maybe you feel like you are on the wrong path.  Maybe you are lost in a maze.  Maybe you made the mess and maybe it just happened to you.  While I don’t believe that God fixes everything [I don’t believe that it is God’s purpose to fix things for us.] I do believe that when we allow God to come alongside of us, life gets better.

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

My friend

My friend is hurting.  They are tired.  They are pressed.  They are nearing burn out.  I wish I could help my friend, but I am powerless to change their situation.  All I can do it tell them that I’m sorry.  I understand.  I feel for you.  I love you.

My friend hurts.  I hurt for my friend.

I guess that there is something good, something beautiful about loving others and caring for them.  Who hurts in your life?  Do you hurt for them?  May we always be those who bear one another's burdens.

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

bad taste

Siphoning gas

Talk about something that will leave a bad taste in your mouth.  When we lost power during the hurricane, I fired up the generator to run the refrigerator.  30 hours later when the power came back on, the generator had 5 gallons of gas in it. 

You can’t leave gas in engines that don’t run very often or the fuel will break down and the varnish will plug up the jets.  So you have to put in stabilizer and run the engine out of gas.

This begins with the process of siphoning out all of the gas that I can.  So I purchase a tube for this purpose.  The tube is clear so I can at least see the gas coming, but some of it gets in my mouth.  I have a bottle of water handy to wash my mouth out.  I gargle it, I spit it, I pour the water into my mouth and spew it out.  Now the gassy water is on my face too.  Oh boy I hope no one lights a match.

I did get the gas out of the generator, but oh that experience leaves a taste in your mouth that does not quickly go away.

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

Rejoice with me!!

So my daughter and her long time boy friend, Bobby are on a two week vacation in Italy.
I am jealous, just saying.

And after waiting and wondering, hoping and praying, he popped the question.... in Italy!!
And, she said, YES!!

Alli, my oldest daughter, is engaged!
So, exciting!!
Rejoice with me!!

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

warm fuzzies

We love people that make us feel good.

I have noticed something about how we interact with others. We tend to love people who make us feel good and lean away from those who don’t. We can take or leave those who give us no vibes, but oh, find someone that makes us feel valued, and we love them.

This tells me that we have great power to bless others. When we see people as special and treat them as such, we can help their hearts be full. Life is too short to give off bad vibes. Become a person that is deeply appreciated by others. Do your best to make them feel valued. You will be glad that you did.

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

Leaders

Leaders empower others.  They help others get it and they turn them loose in the organization.

Leaders do not inflict pain, they absorb it.

Leaders don’t just solve problems, they prevent them.

Leaders are not afraid to make tough decisions.

We are all leaders.  You and I are either leading people into success or into the abyss.

Leaders are not about gaining power or attention for themselves.  They sacrifice their time, their money and their life for their cause.

Where are you going?  Where am I going? What are we about?

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

judging part 2

In response to my post on judging from Wednesday, October 12...................

Someone wrote in that I should never serve on a jury.  Ahh.  Good point.

It is hard to cover every angle of every topic.........

Let me clarify.  If I served on a jury I could listen to the evidence and decide with the other jurors if a person committed the crime or not.  They can be found guilty and sentenced to jail, and I still don’t have to judge them.  I can vote that they are guilty without looking at them as a loser, or a bad person.

That is what I mean. 

Sure.  Make decisions.  That person is a wreckless driver, but don’t punch them.  That person roots for the wrong team.  Maybe so, but there is no reason to hate them.

We can make decisions about what people do without hating them or judging them as somehone substandard.

This is a gift of God.  To be able to live without demanding that those who are not like me are the “bad”ones.

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

honor

It is better to shy away from honor than to need it, or seek it or worse yet demand it.

Honor cannot be taken from others- they must give it to you freely or it isn't honor.

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

thinking of suicide?

My favorite fireman shared a thought with me the other day, "suicide does not put an end to the pain, it just transfers the pain to those around you."

Life is good.  Life is beautiful.
The pain will get better.  Don't pass it on to others.
God can help you deal with it.

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

friendship

My friend Carol asked me to write something about friendship.

Oh my, where does one begin?
A friend thinks of you often.  A friend offers grace.  A friend listens.  A friend offers advice, sometimes painful advice, but a friend offers advice.  A friend loves.  A friend laughs at your jokes even when they don't get them.  A friend holds you up.  A friend sticks closer than a brother.  A friend gives you space when you need it.  A friend doesn't always need to make it about them.  A friend joins you in a life mission.  A friend can just sit with you in silence.

I hope that you have a friend.  I hope that you have many friends.  No amount of money can replace the value of a friend.  If you are short on friends, look for some folks to invest in and invite them to lunch.  Start the process of making a new friend.

Life is better with friends.

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

it is good

In the beginning God created, and when he was done, he said "it was good."  God created men and women and said, it was good.

Somehow over the centuries we have forgotten this.  How sad is that.  The church has tried to control people for years by telling them that they are bad.  But on the contrary, when we remind people of their original state of creation, it frees them to live.

You are good.  You are created in the image of God.  Bad choices, sin and all, you are loved by God.  God made you and he loves you and you are good.  He wants to spend your life with you.  You are loved.  It is the first message of the Bible.

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

if I judge you

If I judge you, I am as bad as you are. If you judge me, you are as bad as I am. Scripture is clear- we are not to judge others.  We can and should hold our values, but we do not judge or shame others.

"But, but, but, but.......... they are so bad" we think.

And the scripture is clear. We are not to judge others.

John 8:7 - you that are without sin, cast the first stone............

Mt 7:1-5  "Do not judge so that you will not be judged. "For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you. "Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?"

Romans 2:1  Therefore you have no excuse, everyone of you who passes judgment, for in that which you judge another, you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things.

Romans 14  Now accept the one who is weak in faith, but not for the purpose of passing judgment on his opinions. One person has faith that he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats vegetables only. The one who eats is not to regard with contempt the one who does not eat, and the one who does not eat is not to judge the one who eats, for God has accepted him.

James 4 11-12 Do not speak against one another, brethren He who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks against the law and judges the law; but if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge of it. There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the One who is able to save and to destroy; but who are you who judge your neighbor?

I don't understand everything that everyone else does.  I don't agree with what everyone else does.  I don't condone everything that everyone else does.  But our job is to love others and let God take it from there.  Life is too short for our hearts to be filled with hatred for anyone.

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

two word prayer

I know that we are not supposed to pray with vain repetitions, but this did not feel vain.  The other night at Celebrate Recovery [a Monday night worship service at our church for those who are looking to recover from a hang up, a habit or anything..... we all should go right?]  anyway, I was there and I found myself praying this two word prayer over and over.  From the bottom of my heart, like I just wanted to make sure that God was hearing me.  My soul was begging for him to hear me.

What if you found a two word prayer.  What would it be?  And what if you repeated it over and over until  you felt like God heard you.....

Help me.  Help me.  Help me.
or
Heal him.  Heal him.  Heal him.
or
Forgive me.  Forgive me.  Forgive me......
or
I'm sorry.  I'm sorry.  I'm sorry..........
or
I'm lost.  I'm lost.  I'm lost...........
or
Find me.  Find me.  Find me.......
or

Maybe one of those would be yours.  Maybe none, but maybe you have your own.
Take a few moments now and ask yourself what is really going on deep in your heart.  Boil it down to two words and pray them, over and over until you feel that God has heard you.

It seemed to work for me.

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

power

We give other people too much power.  When you give people power over you, they can hurt you.  Some people will steal your joy if you let them.

So don't let them.  Does your mom have power over you?  If you are 9 years old, yes.  But not if you are 39, unless you give it to her.  Does your boss have power over you?  Only if you need the job.  Imagine a world where we can submit to authorities, without allowing their rejection of us to cut so deeply.

I am ok.  You are ok.  When we are set aside by those who seem more powerful than we are, we can still choose to see the good.  We can accept that we did not get the promotion, did not get the trophy, did not win Star Search, and did not get the nice compliment.  We can accept that we drew the short straw and still love life.

You don't diminish Niagara Falls by spitting into it.
You are Niagara Falls.

Don't give people power over you.  Lean into God.  He loves you very much.

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

at my table

At my table there is no judgment.  I welcome you.

I may not agree with everything that you have done, but you will never be turned away.  You may have killed someone.  You may have 101 terrible problems.  You may be in trouble with the law.  I may not understand your actions, but my table is open to you.  Come.  Sit.  Have a cup of coffee.

Do you remember the story of the great banquet in Luke 14?  The friends were too busy to attend.  One got married, one bought a cow.  The master sent the servant to the highways and the byways and invited the poor, the lame, and the outcast.  It is a great story of how the kingdom works.

Everyone has done something that they think they should be thrown away for.  Yet we all need a place where we are welcomed and accepted with no judgment.  No matter what you ever do, I will welcome you.

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

Sing out

One of my favorite movies of all time is Harold and Maude.  The musical score is all Cat Stevens songs.  One of my favorite songs has always been If you want to sing out, sing out.  I have left my family notes about my funeral, and I would like the service to open with that song.  It is a movie about living with joy.  A bit dark, a bit of odd humor, but a movie about living with joy.  The song is a song about living with joy.  Since I first saw the movie in the theaters in 1971, I have always loved the song.

Here are the words.

Well if you want to sing out, sing out
And if you want to be free, be free
'Cause there's a million things to be
You know that there are

And if you want to live high, live high
And if you want to live low, live low
'Cause there's a million ways to go
You know that there are

You can do what you want
The opportunity's on
And if you find a new way
Well you can do it today

Well you can make it all true
And you can make it undo
You see, ah ah ah, it's easy ah ah ah
You only need to know

Well if you want to say yes, say, "Yes"
And if you want to say no, say, "No"
'Cause there's a million ways to go
You know that there are

And if you want to be me, be me
And if you want to be you, be you
'Cause there's a million things to do
You know that there are

You can do what you want
The opportunity's on
And if you find a new way
Well you can do it today

Well you can make it all true
And you can make it undo
You see, ah ah ah, it's easy, ah ah ah
You only need to know

Well if you want to sing out, sing out
And if you want to be free, be free
'Cause there's a million things to be
You know that there are

You know that there are

Here is a link to the song.
youtube If you want to sing out

Dear friends-  live.  L I V E live.  Sing.  Sing out.

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

Hurricane Matthew - Final

Well,  the wind finally died down enough so that I could climb up on the roof and see it's condition up close.  And, good news............. the roof is in perfect shape.  It is amazing, considering the winds that we experienced.   There was however, about half of an oak tree on the roof.  10,000 lbs of branches, acorns, sticks and leaves - all on the roof.

Several have asked about power.  We have been without power since 2 am this morning.  Considering our damage situation, it is a small price to pay.

We are very grateful for every thought and every prayer sent this way.  And for the record, I don't know that I want to do another night like last night.  Next time we will evacuate.  Unless my wife and daughters tell me different.

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

Hurricane Matthew 2

It is daylight here.  Really windy and lots of rain still.  I made my first foray outside to check out the storm damage.

Thank God!  It appears at first look that the roof is completely intact.  There are lots and lots of tree limbs down but structurally we appear to be fine.  I have heard that pool screen enclosures do not fare well in hurricanes.  Ours appears to have made it thru fine.  When things die down  I will get up on the roof and make a more thorough inspection.

I don't see anything major at my neighbors homes either.  Let us offer thanks and remember that there are many that were much less fortunate that we have been.

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

Hurricane Matthew

So it is 5:10 am.  We have been up most of the night.  The eye of Matthew passed 30 miles east of Vero Beach.  The worst is passed now but it is still way too windy to go outside.

I left Cape Coral on Wednesday at 10am to go to Vero Beach.  My wife and daughters had made the decision that they were going to hold up in the Vero Beach house and ride the storm out.  That is one wife, two daughters, one boyfriend, one girlfriend, three cats, a dog and me.  Lots of excitement!

We bought a generator, lots of water and stocked up on supplies.  We put up the hurricane shutters and hunkered down.  By 9pm last night it was getting bad.  The worst of the storm hit at 2am.  The wind noise is beyond description unless you have been through it.  We listened to various items hit the roof and the house.  Now the storm is moving off to the north.  Winds are still high and it is still raining.  In a few hours I will go outside and see what damage there is and post an update.

I can see out the front door that there is debris everywhere.  I plan to be in church to preach on Sunday.  Keep us in your prayers.

Thank you all for the prayers, calls, texts and emails.  I am sorry that I cannot write back.  I will post again in a few hours.

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

The Giving Group

In Kansas City I recruited a group that I called "The Giving Group."  These were folks that were not offended if I from time to time sent them an email about something that I needed help raising money for.  Over the years, they provided scholarships for pastors to go on mission trips, helped with sound system issues, and donated for children's wing upgrades.

I find it odd that Christians should feel funny about being asked to give.  But I guess sometimes churches ask too much.  But there is a joy in living the generous life.  There is a joy in participating in those special needs.

Cape Coral First has some issues that at some point we will need to raise some funds to address.  If you are interested in being a part of a group that I can explain these things to via email, if you are not offended by an occasional opportunity to go the second mile, please let me know and I will add you to the Cape Coral giving club.  I would send an email about a need no more than 4x per year. Everyone is welcome, regardless of the size or ability of a gift. Let me know if you want to be on the team.

Thanks for your heart of generosity for the work of the Lord.

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

The eye exam chart

Can you read this chart?  One of my Cape Coral friends noticed this at their place of work.  I love it!

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

one of my favorite quotes

In the movie The Replacements Keanu Reaves plays a quarterback that had choked in the Sugar Bowl.  Because of his failure, he lost the chance to play professional football and his confidence was broken.  In this movie, he gets a second chance.  When faced with a similar situation as the one he failed at in the Sugar Bowl, Reaves chickens out again.  In response to this, his coach, Gene Hackman gets in his face and makes the statement, "Winners always want the ball when the game is on the line."

The first time I heard these words, I stopped in my tracks.  I paused the movie.  I thought of the many times that I was fearful and wanted to pull back.  I thought of the times in softball when my team needed me to get a hit and I was nervous.  I thought of all the challenges in church and how easy it is sometimes to curl up into a ball and go and hide.

For years I have been saying to myself.  Winners always want the ball when the game is on the line.  Sometimes in the midst of pain and struggle, you have to get up and get after a thing.  You can always quit another time, but not today.  The world is changed by those who step up, get in the game and give life their very best.

The game may be on the line.  Winners want the ball, they want a chance.  Step up.  Get in the game.  You will be glad that you did.

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

My Dad

On October 3rd 1927, Paul Parmalee Brinkman Jr. was born. I didn't know him when he was young, but I learned later than he grew up poor. He used to take the streetcar out to Waldo, which at the time was the end of the universe. He graduated from SW High in Kansas City. He served in the Navy during WW2, developing pictures of the first atomic bomb. After the war, he attended Drury college, graduating with a degree in mechanical engineering and a young wife named Mary.

Dad was a loner. His nickname growing up was "Pooh" like Winnie the Pooh. As a father, he was pretty distant. He worked long hours and I didn't see him much.

But, somehow, he delivered the goods to his son. He taught me how to work. He helped shape my faith. He taught me a myriad of old sayings and wise thoughts about life.

I got to know Dad a lot better after mom died in 1995. We had seven years together after that. From 1995 until he died in 2002, Dad was a member of the Woods Chapel UMC. He led the first 8:30 singing group, and he had a lot of ideas for his son about what makes a good sermon.

In February of 2002 I was on the church ski trip with the kids. They were 10, 12 and 14. At about 11pm on Saturday night, Cathy called to say that Dad was in the hospital. Heart attack or stroke, he was on life support at Research. Doug H and another young man drove me from Glenwood Springs to Denver. We arrived at the airport at 2am. When the kids woke up, Doug was there in the room to tell them what happened and to take care of them. I will never be able to repay him what he did for my kids that day. I sat in the terminal until 5:30 and left on the first flight to KC. Cathy picked me up at the airport. We went to the hospital and said goodbye to Dad.

Tons of friends from Woods Chapel attended his funeral. Dad is buried next to Mom in Mt. Washington Cemetery in Independence. I miss him.

But, I thank God for every day that I had with him, and all of the good that he brought to my life. Be sure to appreciate your loved ones everyday that God gives you with them.

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

how much do we really suffer?

I had lunch with one of my favorite theologians, Brian Flower. He provides me with much food for thought. This hit the lunch table last week and I thought it was worth sharing.......

We are called to believe and to the suffer for his sake. [Phil 1:29] But how much suffering do we actually do? Not much.  Being in mission, living a missional life is an opportunity for us to discomfort ourselves for the sake of Christ. 

Something to think about.

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

Sing Out

Too many people do not sing because they do not have the voice of Frank Sinatra or Peggy Lee. Too many people do not play baseball because they cannot hit like Babe Ruth or field like Frank White. Too many Christians hold back from what they could be because they are not big famous souls like Billy Graham or because the are not Mother Teresa.

Dear friends, we as the church will never be what God calls us to be until every single one of us jumps in with both feet. Head over heels, committed to the mission. No holds barred, no excuses, lets just go pursue our potential in Christ.

"Use what talents you possess. The woods would be very silent if no birds sang there except those that sang best. "
                         Henry van dyke

God can use you to make a difference in the world.  If you are watching from the sidelines, get up and get in the game.  That is where the true joy is found.

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

quote

One of my friends ends her emails with this phrase:

"Be the reason that someone smiles today."

I love it.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be the reason that someone smiles today.

unintentional hurts

I am coming to believe that life is full of unintentional hurts.  Sure there are intentional hurts:  someone robs you, someone is bullied, someone does not take responsibility for their actions.  But even in many of these situations, the people that are causing the hurting are acting out of their own brokenness or fear.

I think of the wounds inflicted by my parents.  I know that they would not intend to hurt their children, they were doing what they knew to do, they were doing what the culture at the time told them was ok, they were acting out of their own brokenness.

And I wonder if I have hurt my children- unintentionally.  I called one of my kids the other day and I told them that I loved them and that I never want them to think of me as I think of my parents [sometimes.]  There are many unintentional hurts that show up in this life.  Everyone delivers them.  If you don't think that you do, I would encourage you to think again.

The beginning of ending unintentional hurts is to think and pray about what we are doing and why.  Why am I driving like this?  Why am I talking like this?  Why do I feel the need to say this to someone?  When we stop and think about what we are doing and how it might affect others, we have a good chance to reduce unintentional hurts, and that can only be a good thing.

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

Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday to my first born.  Happy Birthday to a beautiful person on the inside and out.  Happy Birthday to a kid who has grown up and gets it.  Happy birthday to one of my favorite people.  I will never forget your words to me that night at the Ocean Grill.

Allison, you are the best!  How proud your parents are of you.  Bless you.

Happy Birthday.

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

tipping point

Malcolm Gladwell wrote a book called the Tipping Point.

One of the official descriptions of the book says this, "The tipping point is that magic moment when an idea, trend, or social behavior crosses a threshold, tips, and spreads like wildfire. Just as a single sick person can start an epidemic of the flu, so too can a small but precisely targeted push cause a fashion trend, the popularity of a new product, or a drop in the crime rate. "

Imagine the tipping point in your church.  It could be good or bad.  Bad = Imagine so many negative people that the good people get tired of the fight and leave.  Pretty soon, the momentum is all going south.

But on the other hand, imagine a different scenario where more and more people are jumping onto the bandwagon of loving God and loving others.  Imagine more and more people finding the joy of living their lives in mission and ministry.  Pretty soon there is a buzz created where people know that something good is going on.  They begin to talk about it themselves and work towards creating a world where we are discovering and living out the joy of the Christian faith.

Remember what happened in the movie Sister Act?  Once a tipping point was reached, the roof was repaired, the nuns were allowed out to actually care for the needy, and the pews began to fill up.

Every church has a tipping point.  How can each of us be used to bring about the Kingdom in our own setting?

Prayer:  "Oh God, help me to be a part of the solution.  A part of your vision.  A part of your dream.  Teach me to invest, to lean in, to give myself - my voice, my time, my all, with reckless abandon for your purpose."

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

chaos

We don't like chaos.  We like control.

But let me ask you a question.  What do you think happens when the Holy Spirit really takes over a place?  If your church is 100 people on Sunday, what would happen if 60% felt the call of God to live out in mission and ministry?  There would be so many things going on that there would not be time to report them all  to the board.  Members would no longer be able to know about everything in their church.  In fact, they would be engaged in ministry themselves, and would probably no longer be insisting that they know everything that is going on.

Tom Bandy wrote a book called Christian Chaos.  It is about what happens to a church when the Holy Spirit takes over.  So many things would be percolating up from the hearts of people that we could no longer draw an organizational chart of it.  We could no longer control it.

Control it.  Can we control the Holy Spirit anyway?  Imagine a church that was beyond human management.  The Holy Spirit just sending people out in every direction.  Oh what joy!  Oh what fulfillment.  Oh what Chaos.

Glory to God, who is able to do far beyond all that we could ask or imagine by his power at work within us. Ephesians 3:20

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