Visit to Jacksonville

So ten years ago, Jenny's fiancé tore his achilleas tendon.  He spent a lot of recovery time on a knee scooter.  I drove up to Jacksonville to pick up the scooter for Scott to use and to see my daughters.

The five of us went to dinner.  Alli and Bobby,  Jenny and David, and an old man.

The next day I got to see my granddaughter Isabella.  How lovely!!!

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

depressed

I was depressed yesterday.  Briefly.

It seems that my old truck has a mechanical problem that I was having trouble fixing.  I thought it was the alternator.  I replaced it, but that did not solve the issue.

And then on top of a vehicle issue, I was having a minor medical issue.

I was blue.  In the dumps.

Then I thought, my gosh, what is wrong with me?  What do people feel like that have real problems?  And that brought me back to my senses.  Sometimes it helps to remember that things could be worse.

Update on Scott.  He saw the wound doctor yesterday.  The Doc says that the wound looks good [still scary looking] Scott does not have to go back to the Doc for two weeks.  I am hopeful that in a month he will be able to start putting some weight on it.  We shall see.  Thanks for your prayers.

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

Vaccine

I received my second Pfizer shot last Saturday.  Lots of people warned me about side effects after the second dose.

Well, other than a sore arm where the needle went in, I have had none.  In fact, I barely felt the needle.  I have watched the news for a year about the pandemic.  My daughter and her fiancé got covid.  I know a few people that died of it.

It never touched me.  I feel very fortunate.

I encourage everyone to get the vaccine.  I am surprised at people that I know that think it is some kind of conspiracy.  Some churches are saying that it is the mark of the beast if you get the vaccine.

Silliness.

We have the opportunity to be healthy.  Let's be healthy and get this virus behind us.

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

Scott update

Many of you have asked about Scott.  He continues to convalesce at our house.  We are all getting along well because we want nothing more than to help him get better.

I told him the other day, for all the times that I tried to get you to stand up and take responsibility for your life, we are not going to have that discussion now.  Your only job is to heal.  Our job is to help you make it through this.

We are seeing the wound doctor on Thursday.  There is a process called "granulating" that happens to an open wound over time.  We will see on Thursday how he is progressing.  Lots of pain meds, and still some pain.  But he is being a trooper.

Several asked about his bills.  We have set up a go fund me account for him.  If you are interested in helping, here is the link.  I share this with no expectations.  Thanks for your friendship and interest in his recovery.

Click here for Scott's go fund me

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

Thoughts from the monastery

 In 2004 I took my first renewal leave.  I visited many places and people and considered their spirituality.  The other day I was looking through the 20 page report that I wrote about the leave.  One of the things that struck me was the thoughts from a monk that I visited with at the monastery in Ava, MO.

Here are some questions that I had for Brother Francis with his answers.

Do monks stay here forever? No, usually not. 90% of monks will leave the monastery. You must be here for 7 years before you make your vows. Almost all of those that leave, do so before their vows. After vows are made, hardly anyone ever leaves.

Do they ever go to town? No. Only the monk who serves as the purchasing agent goes to town. Others could go if they wanted to, but no one wants to. Monks crave silence and solitude, not hustle and bustle.

Is there a secular side to a monk? Monks joke when making fruitcake.   Life is funny. Look at us. Monks are funny. Some of the world’s best humor resides right here in the monastery.

They seem to crucify their passions? Yes, they work very hard at this. It takes a good deal of praying and self discipline to be a monk.

It looks like a hard way to live, but a good way to die? We enjoy our way of life, and when we get old and sick, we take care of each other. The 20 monks that are buried behind the monastery are truly at rest.

I had a good deal of thinking time at the monastery. Here are some random thoughts.

What if in life if I were better at crucifying passions?
no more fights over the last can of coke
I am not addicted
I am not attached to anything
No need for new clothes
I only focus on
Loving others
Doing Gods will
Being a part of a caring community

The results of this might be:
I never feel guilty for wasting time
I have all there resources that I need
I am truly doing good
I am doing God’s will
I understand life

Thoughts from the monastery 2004.  Still good for today.

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

Address

Several have asked about sending a get well card to Scott.  By the way, they sell Hallmark cards at the Dollar Tree for $.50.  If you ever get a card from me, I spent 50 cents...

Anyway, if you are so inclined, our address is
6463 55th Square
Vero Beach, FL 32967

Scott saw the wound doctor yesterday.  The doc was surprised at the size and seriousness of Scott's wound.  But, he said that it looked ok for 8 days into the experience.  He gave Scott some pointers on care and wants to see him next week.  So all that is good.

But he told him, this is going to be a long haul.  And so Scott and Scott's parents need to get prepped for the long haul.  Sometimes in life we want things quick and easy.  Sometimes in life we get what we want, and sometimes in life we get what we get.  I think that it is a spiritual gift to stand in a moment of trial, for the long haul.  Tribulation worketh patience.

Thank you all for your prayers and support.

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

to bear another's pain

So here is an update my son.  I am withholding the graphic details.

His wound is gruesome and they were not able to close it.  In my mind it needs a skin graft, but who knows?  He is seeing a wound specialist today so hopefully we will learn something.

Worker's comp has denied his claim because he supposedly signed something at the hospital.  We will see about that.  He has run out of pain meds because doctors are not prescribing OxyContin like they used to.  

Regardless, in the morning, he has to shower and change the bandages.  This is a very painful process and my 30 year old, tough as nails son cries out in pain.  It is the most terrible thing for a parent to listen to.  I think, if only I could take the pain of my son, I surely would.

Think about that for a moment.  Wouldn't you, wouldn't any parent take the pain from their child and bear it themselves... but alas, we cannot.  Life just doesn't work that way.

But the next time you hear of some tragic thing, some thing that makes you say, where was God when that happened?  Just remember, God is there, hearing our cries, wishing he could take the pain.  Wishing he could hold us.  

Jesus said, come to me, all ye who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Good Friday

Good Friday.

First of all, several of you have asked for an update on Scott.  He is home from the hospital and convalescing with us at our house.  Though he does want to get back to his apartment.

He will be out of work for 1-2 months.  Should I start a go fund me page for him?  Ha ha.

He met with the Workers Comp team.  We will see how that goes.

You never want your kinds to be sick or injured.  Our first priority is his health.  Making sure that his wound stays on track.

Back to Good Friday.

The birth, life, teachings of Jesus and his death are evidence of one thing.  God loves us.

The Christian faith was never intended to be centered around sin.  It was to be, from creation, about love.  There is no greater teacher about love than Jesus.  His death is a sign of how much he loves you and me.  He laid down his life for us, we can lay down our life for others.  And when we do that, we come to understand why we are here.

That is why we call it good.  Good Friday.

Love is on total display.  I can learn to love in a radical way.

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

the post that you never want to make

So I am in Kansas City working on Dave and Gina Harris's deck.  It is a big job and it is taking a long time.  Good news is that I am working with my long time friend Bruce Letner.  Such a great man.

So today we are on the deck and my phone rings.  It is my wife, Cathy.  We have already talked earlier [our morning talk] so I am wondering what is up.

There was an accident this morning at Scott's work.  He was cutting a board and the circular saw kicked back.  It went out of control.  It entered his right foot and crawled up his calf.  Several veins were cut and he was bleeding pretty badly.  The ambulance came and took him to Lawnwood Hospital in Ft. Pierce.

Initially there was some question about if his foot would be lost.  Thank God, the trauma surgeon saved his foot.  He will be in the hospital for several days.  He will be off work for I guess a month.

My friend Aaron Israelite reminded me that a parent's biggest fear is having something happen to one of their kids.

Good news.  He will be ok.  Life will go on.  And in his convalescence, his mom and dad will have the
opportunity to show him how much we love him.

Pray for my son Scott.

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

Do I miss being a pastor

 People ask me from time to time if I miss being a Pastor.  The short answer is "sometimes."

But there is a bigger answer.  A life issue kind of answer, and it goes like this.  I have come to recognize that I was not put on this earth to be a pastor, or to be a school teacher.  I was not put on this earth to own a company or be a real estate agent.  I was put on this earth to love people and be kind.  And so were you.

Whether we are engaged in a vocation or not.  Whether we like our work or not.  This basic principle holds true for all humans.  We were put on this earth, first and foremost to love others and to dispense kindness.

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

random friend helps the needy

I have some friends who are always helping the needy. I have other friends where it kind of surprises me, in a good way to hear that they are helping the needy.

So my friend is driving in downtown Kansas City. The temperature is 10 degrees below zero. He sees a man on the side of the road with a sign asking for help. The man is wearing no gloves. My friend rolls down his window and says, "get in my car." The man gets in the car.

My friend takes him to Quick Trip. "Buy whatever you want to eat," he says.  Then he takes him to a motel and pays for three nights.

The man says, "I can't tell you when the last time was that I slept in a bed." He said thank you 30 times at least.  He said, "I can't tell you how long it has been since I have had a shower."

I have always loved this friend. But his stock went up in my book over this story.  Whatever you did for the least of these, you did it unto me.

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

freedom

One of the greatest freedoms that we have is how we choose to react to what is happening around us.

Too many people love to play the victim.  Complaining that the world has some how cheated them.  Complaining that the world has not aligned itself to make them happy.

Broken arm?  Wrecked car?  Trouble at home?  Loss of a friend?  All of life's traumas are there for us to react to, either positively or negatively.

Why choose to be unhappy about something that is beyond my control?  This trauma is here and I can do nothing about it, except learn to bear it.

I personally would rather be a happy person bearing a difficulty, that a giant complainer bearing a difficulty.

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

Grace

Grace is good for everyone.  Grace is not just for the righteous.  Grace is not just for those who have done it right.

Grace is for those who messed up.  Grace is for those who did not listen.  Grace if for those who have failed.  Grace is for those who want to blame others.  

Grace is for those who cheated on their taxes.  Grace is for those who took the candy from the 5 & dime.

We have all failed.  We have all shot ourselves in the foot.  And when that happens, those are the times that we need grace the most.

You can never go wrong by offering grace to another.  Even if, especially when they are down.

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

From my friend Kim...

“The majority of us lead quiet, unheralded lives as we pass through this world. There will most likely be no ticker-tape parades for us, no monuments created in our honor. But that does not lessen our possible impact, for there are scores of people waiting for someone just like us to come along; people who will appreciate our compassion, and our unique talents. Someone who will live a happier life merely because we took the time to share what we had to give. Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have a potential to turn a life around. It’s overwhelming to consider the continuous opportunities there are to make our love felt.”- Leo Buscaglia (1924-1998)

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

when one suffers

 Human compassion is the art of connecting to others.  It is the ability to forget one's self long enough to feel what the other is feeling.  

When we grow in compassion, we exercise it more often.  We feel the pangs of people that we once thought nothing of.  When we grow in compassion, we consider the "why" of what a person said or did.  We don't excuse bad behavior, but we can surely come to a heartfelt understanding when we exercise a little empathy.

When we exercise compassion, we hurt when they hurt.  We hurt with them.  When we exercise compassion, we celebrate with them.  Godly compassion even shows warmth toward them, and celebration for them, when their team wins.... even wins over our team.  That is because compassion demands that we forget ourselves for a bit.

The other day one of my friends was hurting.  I hurt for them.  I hope that you have people that you hurt with and that you celebrate with.  May we all learn to be compassionate even toward the stranger.

"I was a stranger and you welcomed me."  Mt. 25:35

"Bear ye one another's burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ." Gal 6:2

"If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it." 1 Cor 12:6

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.  See the people so that we can do the good.  The good loving stuff.

gloves

My friend Mary has worked with the marginalized for many years. She has a big heart. In response to my post earlier this week, she shared this story with me.

When I served the homeless in Miami and offered haircuts, one guy started to sit in his chair, stood up again and stared at me. “You’re not wearing gloves?” he asked. “No, sir.” I replied. He gave me the biggest smile I have ever seen, sat down with that huge smile still on his face and said to the guy standing next in line, “Lordy, she’s not wearing gloves!” What a difference a caring hand makes.

Oh, the blessing of human touch...

Random Devil Thoughts

 It breaks my heart to have to post this from time to time.  But, when I hear Christians talking with a "BIG Devil theology"  I feel the need to speak up.  Here are some past blog posts on the topic.

Random Devil Thoughts

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2008

random devil thoughts

A few random devil thoughts today. Does your talk about the devil accurately depict his level in creation or have you made him an equal with God? The devil is a created being, he was Lucifer, an arch angel. If you must compare him to someone, he is an equal to Michael and Gabriel, other archangels.

The devil is not everywhere. This is not Biblical theology. God is, and only God is omni-present. To speak of the devil as if he is an equal with God is not only not true, but what we end up doing is spending our time glorifying evil instead of glorifying God.

If you are depressed, it is probably not because you are being oppressed by the devil. Humans get depressed sometimes. If your home really has demons in it, you could not live there. It would be like the Amityville Horror.

We get into the habit of speaking of evil in ways that are not Biblical. The result is that we spend too much time fighting enemies imagined instead of glorifying God. Is your home a place where God is King and Jesus is Lord, or is your home a place where the devil and his helpers reside. You must decide what you believe.

I will probably write more about this in the days to come. Your comments and questions are welcome of course. I just wanted to get you started thinking today about whose world it is. It is God's world, we are his children and the sheep of his pasture. Lets not cower in darkness, but let us live in the light of his glory and presence.

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

POSTED BY PASTOR JEFF BRINKMAN AT 8:58 AM 

 

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2014

the devil

I have to bring this up from time to time.  Some people talk like the devil [little d devil] is the opposite of God.

What ever we think about the devil, he is not the opposite of God.  He is a created being.  He has a beginning.  He is not eternal.  He was an archangel just like Michael and Gabriel. 

What do we think about Gabriel?  Do we think Gabriel knows everything?  Do we think he is everywhere all at the same time?  No we don't.  We think he is an angel.  So is the devil, he is a fallen angel.  He can't be at everyone's house, tempting all of us at the same time.  We are usually tempted by our own lusts and we need to take responsibility for that and stop blaming a big D Devil.  Some people just like to have someone else to blame.

We have to decide whether we live in a world dominated by an evil spirit or whether we live in a world that still belongs to God.  Let's stop talking about angels, good or evil, and focus on God.  As for me, this is my Father's world!!  The fight with the devil was won on the cross.  We have the right and the opportunity now to live our lives focused on God and his love.

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

POSTED BY PASTOR JEFF BRINKMAN AT 5:30 AM

 

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 6, 2018

The devil has a plan

I was talking to a friend the other day and they told me that God had a plan for everyone and so did the devil.

Let's think about that for a moment.
God can have a plan for us because God is infinite, all knowing and all present.

The devil has a plan for us?
That implies that the devil who is a finite created being somehow knows every single person on the earth.  And boom, we have made him the opposite of God.

It sounds interesting to say that the devil has a plan, but there is no way that a limited creation of God can know and have a plan for everyone in the world.
We have made the devil way too big.
Whatever he is, he is not the opposite of God.

God has a plan.  Bank on that.

It's a beautiful day in God's world be sure to see the good.
Send replies to jsbrink57@gmail.com

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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2010

A Christian Theology of evil

I may have posted this before, but it comes up so often I feel the need to get it out there again..........

A Christian Theology of Evil
An Outline

The basics.
Many Christians speak of God and speak of the devil but do not know who they are. They act as if we live in a dualistic world where two equal powers struggle for control. No question, there is struggle in the world, and there is sin and evil in the world, but God and Satan are not opposites.

Qualities of God:
All Knowing, All Present, All Powerful, Eternal

Qualities of Satan [the devil] and demons
Not all knowing, not all present, not all powerful, created.

What does this mean?
This means that God is in control. Remember Satan is a created being, an angel that fell from heaven. He is not from the beginning, God is. He is not everywhere in the world….God is. Satan is probably not at your house, he is probably working on Ussama Ben Laden. He cannot be in both places at the same time.

Prov 16:4 The LORD hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil.
Isa 45:7 I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.
Jn 1:3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
Col 1:16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:

Only God deserves the attributes of a god. Satan is not equal to God and he is not the opposite of God. God made him and has allowed him to do his work for a short time. He does not deserve the attention that God does. He is operating in this world for a short time and will receive judgment in the end..

Gen 3:14-15 And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life: And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.
Isa 14:12-15 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.
2 Pet 2:4 For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;
Jude 1:6 And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.

The limited created evil beings in the world are fighting a losing battle against the almighty power of God that works in the world through the Holy Spirit and those who call upon the name of the Lord.

Being led by the Holy Spirit and being possessed or oppressed by demons.
How does one become a Christian?
You choose to ask Jesus to come in.

How does one become possessed or oppressed by evil?
You choose to ask it to come in.

What does this mean?
It means that evil cannot come in and control you without you having opened the door. He/they cannot just sneak up on you and suddenly inhabit your life. You let in Jesus if you want to and you let in demons if you want to. Let me be clear, there is not room in the soul of a Christian for the Holy Spirit and demons. If you have accepted Jesus, you are infilled with the Holy Spirit. You cannot then be filled with the demonic. One or the other, never both.

Psa 91:9-11 Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation; There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.
1 John 5:18 We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not.
Mat 16:18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

So is the devil real?
Yes the devil is real, but he is not the opposite of God. See above description. People can be possessed by him or by his demons. These are horribly frightening people. If you have ever met someone who was in such a state it would make a tremendous impression on you. Many people will live their entire lives and never see or meet someone who is possessed. Believe me, you don’t want to meet such people.

Mark 5:1-20
1They went across the lake to the region of the Gerasenes.[a] 2When Jesus got out of the boat, a man with an evil[b] spirit came from the tombs to meet him. 3This man lived in the tombs, and no one could bind him any more, not even with a chain. 4For he had often been chained hand and foot, but he tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet. No one was strong enough to subdue him. 5Night and day among the tombs and in the hills he would cry out and cut himself with stones. 6When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and fell on his knees in front of him. 7He shouted at the top of his voice, “What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? Swear to God that you won’t torture me!” 8For Jesus had said to him, “Come out of this man, you evil spirit!” 9Then Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” “My name is Legion,” he replied, “for we are many.” 10And he begged Jesus again and again not to send them out of the area. 11A large herd of pigs was feeding on the nearby hillside. 12The demons begged Jesus, “Send us among the pigs; allow us to go into them.” 13He gave them permission, and the evil spirits came out and went into the pigs. The herd, about two thousand in number, rushed down the steep bank into the lake and were drowned. 14Those tending the pigs ran off and reported this in the town and countryside, and the people went out to see what had happened. 15When they came to Jesus, they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons, sitting there, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. 16Those who had seen it told the people what had happened to the demon possessed man–and told about the pigs as well. 17Then the people began to plead with Jesus to leave their region. 18As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon possessed begged to go with him. 19Jesus did not let him, but said, “Go home to your family and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” 20So the man went away and began to tell in the Decapolis[c]how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed.

Are there other sources of evil? Yes! Other sources of evil include: other people, yourself, and the world.
• People can choose to do evil things. They are responsible for their choices and usually they are not possessed when they choose evil. The human spirit is capable of evil choices without the benefit of or help of the demonic.
• Flip Wilson used to say “the devil made me do it.” He was wrong. He chose to do evil himself. All of us make bad choices and choose to do evil things. That is what sin is. It doesn’t mean that you are demon possessed. It means that you are human.
• The world has evil in it. Tornadoes, Hurricanes, earthquakes, disease. These things are common to human existence and are not the work of demons or the vengeful acts of God. The rain falls on the just and the unjust. The flu is the flu and a cold is a cold. It is not the oppression of the devil.

Does our language and our prayer life glorify God or Satan?
This is the real question.

CS Lewis once said that “the best thing that the Devil can do is to convince the world that he doesn’t exist.” Probably the second best thing for the Devil to do would be to get us to overemphasize his role or involvement in our lives, bringing him glory instead of God.

As believers we are called to lift up the name of Jesus and bring people to him. Most Christians will never see a demon possessed person in their life and would not necessary be prepared to deal with it if they did.

When our prayers refer to Jesus, he is lifted up. When our prayers refer to the devil and evil, they are exalted and fear is injected into the believers thought process.

If you are trusting in Jesus, you don’t have to be afraid of such evil. You are walking with the King. Many Christians unintentionally glorify Satan by including him in all of their prayers and daily chatter and banter. You can do that if you wish. Talking about evil fills people with worry. Talking about Jesus fills people with joy. I want to choose to lift up the name of Jesus. What about you?

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

POSTED BY PASTOR JEFF BRINKMAN AT 7:04 AM 

 

I do care.

On Monday, Dick and I did our normal sandwich delivery.  I had a couple of notable human encounters.

Glen is always at the back of the mattress store on "B" avenue and US 1.  On Monday we gave Glen the customary baloney and cheese sandwich, chips, orange and a bottle of water.  When I asked Glen how he was, he said, "thanks to you guys, I am alive."

If you think that Glen should get a job, you should know that Glen is certifiably crazy.  He could never hold a job.  But he appreciated being fed.

Later at Parkview Park we passed out about six sets of food.  A man that I had not seen there before looked me in the eye and he said, "It is nice to see that someone cares."  I paused, looked him in the eye and told him that we do care.  I told him my name was Jeff.  He told me that his name was Robert.  We shook hands.  As I turned to walk away, my eyes filled with tears.

These people just want to know that someone cares.

St. Patrick's Day

My sister moved to Florida in January.  On Sunday night we tried on our St. Patrick's clothes.

Today is St. Patrick's Day.  On this day I am always reminded of the famous Irishman who invented outdoor tables and chairs.

Do you remember his name?

Patty O'Furniture.

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

not much to say

I haven't posted lately because I haven't had much to say.

I'm not reading much and I just don't feel that I have anything that is blog worthy.

I am sure that you have days when you don't have much to say.

Anyway, everything is ok.  When I have some ideas, I will post again.

Send me any ideas that you have for me to write about.

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

Everything is OK

 We are living through a time that is unprecedented for most of us.  A year long pandemic.  Political turmoil.  Riots.

Add to that the normal stuff.  Worrying about our kids.  Changing jobs.  Friends moving away.  

Change is unsettling.  Too much change and our gray matter arcs.  We feel unnerved and we don't know why.  We need to talk to someone but we can't even put our finger on what is bothering us.

We are worried about the lack of stability.

If this is you, I have a message for you:  Everything is ok.  Everything is ok.  Sure, it is changing times, but we still have each other.  We have lived through change before and we can do it again.  In fact we will live through these days and come out on the other side.

I know you feel discomforted.  Relax.  Take a deep breath.  It is well with your soul.  Everything is ok.

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

God loves you

"In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. And the earth was without form and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep."
Genesis 1:1-2

The earth was without form and void. And the void wasn't good enough for God. Void wasn't going to work for Him.  Being a God of love, he needed someone/something to love. And so God created you and me.

God loves you and enjoys you.  Never forget that.

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

Lunch with a friend

 Yesterday I had lunch with a friend at Captain Hiram's in Sebastian.  This little restaurant is situated on the intercoastal.  It is not uncommon to see dolphins and all sorts of wildlife.

It was a peaceful lunch.  A great chicken sandwich.  Good conversation.  The ambiance of the intercoastal.

Having a friend is a wonderful thing.

Here are some of the birds that I saw.

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

Don't miss the parade

Please take time to watch the parade today. Many people have gone to great lengths to prepare for this special event. Your boss will let you off work for it.
What parade you say?

Today is the day when all of the bands from the local high schools line up downtown and march fourth.

[this was my grandmother's joke, passed on to my mother, then to me and now to you.]

It's a beautiful day in God's world be sure to see the good.
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the value of your caring is bigger than you think

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

a friend

 A friend is probably the most valuable thing in all of life.  They listen to us.  They console us.  They laugh with us.  They help us stay on track.  They love us.

In unpacking my office, I found this little picture which has hung in various church offices for 15 years anyway.  Today in hangs in my garage office.

Today, make a friend.  Call a friend.  Love a friend.  Value a friend.

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

trees

I have always loved trees.

When is the best day to plant a tree?  50 years ago.

When is the second best day to plant a tree?  Today.

As I have been unpacking things from my office at church I came upon these two small books that were given to me years ago by a friend.  It is interesting in life what you hold on to and what you release.

I also found a disc with pictures from the fall landscape day in 2010.

Jim and Mary Ann Hillman 
work the North side

Jonnie lining out the crew
[This was prior to the worship center addition]

Brad Gartin working on the west face

Random old man digging a hole
but what a nice truck!

look at the size of the pear trees
along the north entrance!

Charles Hasek, his tractor
and Vicki Graham

Jay Gray, Fred Price and an unidentified
young man are planting benches for the walking
trail - stations of the cross.

What lovely memories of a wonderful time.  It is amazing how our work today can grow and become beautiful over time.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good, and maybe plant a tree!

Ash Wednesday

In zero degree weather, a Woods Chapel
Church pastor applies ashes to a member.

Today is Friday, but two days ago was Ash Wednesday.  Over the past 30 years I stood face to face with somewhere between 5 and 10,000 people on Ash Wednesday.

It is the most humbling day of the year.  I shed many tears on Ash Wednesday.  People coming up in tears.  Me seeing them coming and knowing the grief that they had suffered in the last year.

It is the only day that I wear a robe.  Me myself and other pastors when I had them, stood down in front.  Members would make their way down to the front and I would say to them, "are you willing to repent of your sins and follow the way of the cross."  They would say, Yes.

Then I would put ashes on their forehead and say, "The sign of the cross marks you as a disciple of our lord and savior Jesus Christ."

Ash Wednesday was always a very holy day for me.

Three of my former associate pastors, texted me on Ash Wednesday to talk about how much that day meant to them.  We reminisced.

It is a holy day.

But wait...   Any day can be a holy day for that matter.

Are you willing to repent of your sin and follow the way of the cross?

Then the sign of the cross marks you as a disciple of our lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Come see me

So six weeks ago my sister and her husband moved to Vero Beach.  It has been great to have them here.  And they have escaped the KC winters.

I tell my KC friends that they should move here or retire here.  I love my Ft Pierce friends, but I still miss my KC friends.  There is, by the way a couple of homes for sale in our subdivision.

Anyway, get on a plane and come see me.

As I said, come see me.

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

Superbowl

Seven days has passed since the Super bowl.  It was only super if you are a Tampa Bay fan.  For the rest of us, it was a disaster.  Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, and sometimes you get hammered.  My team, the Chiefs, got hammered on Sunday.

I have known people along the journey of life whose self esteem was destroyed if their team lost.  I have known people who would complain and be angry if their team lost.

The Chiefs did not play well and they did not deserve to win.  Hats off to Brady and the Bucks.

As much as I love football and baseball, a painful loss like this is a good reminder that life is not about winning and losing games.  They are games, just that.  Life is about kindness and love.  Kindness and love for me, for you, for the Chiefs and for the other team.

God doesn't take sides.

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

I met a homeless man

So I was leaving CVS on US 1 by 17th street in Vero. I saw a guy with a sign asking for help...

I rolled down my window and handed him the smallest bill in my wallet. 

[now that is a discussion for another day. why the smallest??? Is that how we want God to treat us??? Here you are in need and I give you the least that I have???] 

Anyway, I gave him the smallest bill that I had, a $5.  I rolled down my window and handed him the 5. Then I asked him his name. this was his response.

"My name is Donald Pitts my dad was in Vietnam I was in the Iraq war thank you for the donation I live in the woods in a tent behind the CVS."

And like every homeless person that I have met, he was a little mentally off. It broke my heart.

I used to say things like "why don't they get a job???"  But now I have learned that they are almost all mentally challenged, which is why they are where they are in life.

Maybe I will find the camp behind the CVS and take them some breakfast tomorrow.

Or Maybe I will do nothing and just go on with MY LIFE.  Not sure... Stay tuned.

It's a  beautiful, first world day in God's world be sure to give, not see, but be sure to give the good.

The Waves

Sunday morning while the other guys slept, I sat on the balcony listening to the waves.  Of course I live a few miles from the beach, you would think that I would be used to the waves, but I am not.   I rarely take time to listen to them at length.

But they are wonderful.  I have been listening now for an hour.  It is so peaceful and calming!!!  There are things in life that just seem to reach into your soul.  Sitting by a fire, listening to a fountain, listening to the wind blow through the trees and waves on the beach all do it for me.  Soulful things that are good for the soul.

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

Superbowl

 It is Sunday morning and I am in Tampa.  We are staying at a VRBO on the beach.  Yesterday I drove in and stopped to visit Dave and Kristina Owsley.  It was so wonderful to see them.

They shared these Chief's cookies with me.

Then I drove into downtown Tampa and met up with Paul, Alex and Rick.  We hit a couple of watering holes.

Later that night we went to a Chief's watch party.  It was a blast.  

Left to Right- Rick Wagner, Alex McClain and my Dad.
Oh, no, wait, that is me, isn't it.

We don't have tickets to the game, but we are going to another Chief's watch party for the game.

Go Chiefs!!!

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

Pepper Park

Last Friday a few friends from church invited me to lunch at Pepper Park on Hutchison Island.  They wanted to say thank you for my work at the church.  They wanted to love on me.  They want to, as I do, be sure that we stay in touch.

There was a hotdog stand in the park and I was treated to a tasty dog.

They also gave me this white church as a memory.  The presentation made me cry.  Happy tears.  I told them thank you.  I told them that they made me feel loved, appreciated and valued.

In this world where people often feel set aside and unwanted, feeling loved and valued is a beautiful thing.

Who can you value today???

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

Mad

Do you ever get mad?  I was mad the other day.  Mad at a person from my past who hurt me.  I couldn't shake it, which is unusual for me.

Finally after most of the morning had passed, I realized that I wasn't mad at that person... no it was much deeper.  I was mad at every person in my life who made me feel bad, clear back to my mother.  I was mad at the messages that I have been given in my life...

You're not good enough.
God only loves you if you are good.
You are going to hell.
You better believe it like this...
God only loves you if...

What a waste of time it has been in my life to try to overcome the negative messages.  Why were they ever given?  People do and say crazy things in the name of God.  I hope that I am not giving negative messages to people.  I hope that you aren't either.

God loves me.  God loves you.  Sinners that we are, God loves us.

That makes me happy!

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

Purpose

 It is too easy to value one's self based on their job or income.  It is very common that if a job changes or is lost, or when a person retires, they are filled with questions and confusion.  It is easy to feel a loss of self.  

Who am I now?  What is my life about now?  Something seems "wrong."

We must remember that our purpose in life is not our particular job, career or calling.  We must remember that our purpose in life is to love people and be kind to them.  We are here on this earth to spread love and to value people.  It is interesting how we ourselves get a sense of joy and value when we are reaching for people and valuing them.

Pick someone to love on today.  Heck, pick everyone.

911

I did something the other day that I have never done before.  I called 911.  

I was talking to a friend on the phone and driving south on 58th Avenue near the Target store when a wheel came flying over the median and into my lane.  Then I saw two cars run off the road in the north bound lanes by the Italian Garden.  One hit a telephone pole.

I called 911.  The woman asked my emergency.  I told her, then apologized as I was sure they had many calls.  No, she said, I was the first.

The whole thing was so unnerving.  For a couple of hours I was on the verge of tears.  It is odd how such things feel traumatizing.

I prayed for the people in the wreck.  I decided a few years ago, that with so many people rubbernecking to see what was going on, a better response would be to pray for them.

A special place in heaven

bags of chips, Save-a-lot bag. 
Concrete is for a handyman job.

So here is another Monday morning, feeding the homeless story.

Dick and I meet for breakfast at 8am, then I go to the Save-a-lot grocery to get chips and whatever else we need.

On Monday I walk into the Save-a-lot and there is an African American man [evidently an employee] working on a sign on the door.

When I am checking out, I am paying for three big bags of 16 bags of chips.  I also buy a big Save-a lot grocery bag.  The checker is trying to put the chips into the grocery bag.  I explain to her that she does not have to do that.  I just want the bag to put sandwiches, chips and water in as we feed the homeless on Mondays.

The man who was working on the sign at the door is standing near by and over hears this.  He comes up to me and lights up.  He says, "Sir, thank you so much for doing this!  There is a special place in heaven for people like you."

I don't tell you this story so you will pat me on the back.  I tell you this story so that you too can capture some of the joy of doing for others.  [I am sure that you are already doing for others]  Acts of kindness make the recipient happy, they make you happy and they make anyone that hears of them happy.

Happy is good.  Kindness is good.

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

It's not just the food

On Monday when Dick and I were taking sandwiches to the homeless, I realized something.  The sandwich, chips, tangerine and bottle of water do not tell the full story of what is happening.  Yes, the folks are very appreciative of us bringing them food, but there is something else going on that is very important too.  It may actually be the most important aspect of the delivery.

We are telling them that they are valuable.  We are telling them that they matter.  We don't actually say the words of course, but our actions and our kindness to them are letting them know that they are valuable humans.

I believe that in this world, everyone wants to feel that they are valuable.  Everyone wants to know that they matter.  Especially the homeless, who have been devalued by so many for so long.  They need to hear it, they need to feel it.

You matter.  You are valuable.

Who can you express this to today?

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

Carnival

 The county fairgrounds are one mile north of our house.  Last year in March, they were setting up a carnival at the fairgrounds when the pandemic hit.  The carnival never opened.  Kind of sad.

A couple of days ago I went to Lowes in Vero and when I was leaving, I saw something that made me happy.  Now, happy is good, especially during pandemic times.  There is so much bad news, so much fear mongering on the news, any good news is appreciated.  [I just used the word "news" three times in one sentence.  Probably not good writing.]

So I am leaving Lowes and I see something that makes me happy.  In our old Sears parking lot [Our Sears is closed]  in our old Sears parking lot, they are setting up a carnival.

A big smile came upon my face.  Carnivals are happy!  I guess this story also speaks to the fact that they pandemic seems far away from our little Florida town.

Carney vehicles

May the carnival come to your town soon!!!

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

Creation is God's first Bible

I don't know who said it, but it is really true: "creation is God's first Bible." People who lived before the Bible, people that could not read, and really everyone can look at creation and know that there is a God.

The heavens declare the glory of God. Psalm 19:1  

For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. Romans 1:20

I was reminded of this truth the other day when I looked out the front of the house and there were two Sandhill Cranes in our yard. Beautiful majestic birds.

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

Wow

 So there is this feature on my computer with windows 10 that gives me a new background picture every day.  My favorite pictures have castles or old medevial buildings in them.  Some of the pictures that they show me, I don't like.  I can click like or don't like in the upper right corner.

Something cool happened today.  While I have opened pictures that made me like them, today I opened the computer and when I saw the background picture I went, "wow!!!"  Beautiful, Amazing!!!

Here is the picture that made me say wow!!!

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

retired life

 So what do you do when you don't have a job to go to?  I joke that I can only clean the garage so many times.  I can only soak the paint brushes so many times.

But let's face it, some of the benign, seemingly insignificant things that we do matter a lot.

Yesterday I vacuumed the crap out of the bed of my truck.  I put a new head on a sledge hammer.  I installed a new mirror on the truck.  

new truck mirror

Next week when the new icemaker gets here, I will get that in the freezer.

Not a job, and I don't get paid, but important things.  There is great satisfaction in taking care of your stuff.  I think I am going to hire someone to break things around here just so I will have things to fix from time to time.

It is a beautiful, possibly mundane day in God's world, don't see it as mundane.  See it as beautiful.

office

I cleaned out my office at church yesterday.  Kind of melancholy.  

If you attend the Ft. Pierce church and you get up to Vero anytime, let me know and we can have breakfast or lunch.

Also, I might just surprise you at church on a Sunday morning and we can go to brunch afterwards.

Many have asked what lies ahead for me.  Well, I am not sure.  I have some handyman work lined up.  I may take a road trip.  I may go to KC to do some work.

Anyway, don't worry about me.  I am ok.  All is well.

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

Resignation

I am posting today to let my readers know that I have put in my resignation from Ft. Pierce First UMC.

If you are a Ft. Pierce attendee, I am sorry if this is disappointing.  I love you and we can always remain friends.

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

Happy Day!

One of the hardest parts about moving to Florida is moving away from your friends.  Many of my KC friends I have been bonded to for 25 years.  That is why I go back from time to time.  I miss them a ton.

Yes I have made new friends in Florida, but most of them live 20 miles away in Ft. Pierce.

Anyway, I have some happy news to report.  My sister Julie and her husband Mark have moved to Vero Beach!  Very exciting!!!

Now if I could just persuade a few of you to move here as well. 😊😊😊

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

Identification

Football playoffs are here.  Someone's team is going to win it all, everyone else is going to lose somewhere along the way.

Some folks take losing really hard.  I'm from Kansas City.  We have had so many years of bad baseball and bad football, we got used to going to the baseball games and just enjoying watching good players play, even if they were usually on the other team.

Anyway, since many are going to be disappointed, I got to thinking.  What is the main thing in life that I identify with?  What are the main things that we identify with?

Republican or Democrat
Baptist or Methodist
Kansas City Chiefs fan
Cleveland Browns fan
follower of Jesus Christ
or what else?

It occurs to me that if the Chiefs lose, I need to remember that my primary life journey goal or focus is not being a Chiefs fan.  My primary life journey goal is to live a life that emulates and shares the love of Jesus Christ.

If the person you voted for lost, you can still live and fulfill your main life purpose, emulating and sharing the love of God.

If your church splits,  you can still live and fulfill your main life purpose, emulating and sharing the love of God.

If your team loses,  you can still live and fulfill your main life purpose, emulating and sharing the love of God.

Let's remember to keep the main thing the main thing.

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

For years, the church has tried to convert people.

We should have spent more time just loving people.

Jesus never worked to manipulate or convert anyone.  But he loved everyone.

Don't waste your time trying to fix people.  You can't fix them.  Just love them.

That is why we are here.  If we can love them, then God will take care of the rest.