The Fire Maker

There was a man who invented
the art of making fire. He took his tools and went to a tribe in the
north, where it was very cold, bitterly cold. He taught the people
there to make fire. The people were very interested. He showed them
the uses to which they could put fire - they could cook, could keep
themselves warm, etc. They were so grateful that they had learned
the art of making fire. But before they could express their gratitude
to the man, he disappeared.

He wasn't concerned with getting their
recognition or gratitude; he was concerned about their well being. He
went to another tribe, where he again began to show them the value
of his invention.

People were interested there, too, a bit too interested for the peace
of mind of their priests, who began to notice that this man was
drawing crowds and they were losing their popularity. So they
decided to do away with him. They poisoned him, crucified him, put it
any way you like.

But they were afraid now that the people might
turn against them, so they were very wise, even wily. Do you know
what they did? They had a portrait of the man made and mounted it
on the main altar of the temple.

The instruments for making fire were
placed in front of the portrait, and the people were taught to revere
the portrait and to pay reverence to the instruments of fire, which
they dutifully did for centuries. The veneration and the worship went
on, but there was no fire.

End of the story.  Now some commentary...
How do we rekindle the fire in our hearts for the things of God?  By doing works of kindness, by showing love, by reaching out to others.  If the glow has ebbed from your life.  Reach for another human and show the love of God.  Don't settle for a life without fire.

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

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I am leading a trip to Ireland next year. If you are interested in reading about it, or joining in, the link is below.....

Treasures of Ireland

July 13-22, 2020

http://www.eo.travelwithus.com/tours/ir20071320a17768#eotours

For those who cannot find their smile

Dear Lord, Dear Father,

This is a prayer for those who cannot find their smile...  Please help them to see not only the difficulty in life, but also the good.  Please help them to see that there is much more good than bad in this world.  Please help them not to react negatively when they are feeling down.  Please send them friends who can encourage them and help them to find their smile.  Lord we have all been up and we have all been down.  Please help us to see and focus on the good.  Please help us to understand that there are many things that are beyond our control.  We put these things into your hands.  We put our trust in you.

Thank you for all the good.  Thank you for family, for friends, for the sunrise, for the rain.  Thank you for breath in our lungs.  Thank you for music.  Thank you for food.  Thank you, thank you thank you.
Amen and Amen.

It's a beautiful day in God's world be sure to see the good.
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I am leading a trip to Ireland next year. If you are interested in reading about it, or joining in, the link is below.....

Treasures of Ireland

July 13-22, 2020

http://www.eo.travelwithus.com/tours/ir20071320a17768#eotours

3 simple rules

John Wesley offered 3 simple rules for living-
1.  Do no harm
2.  Do good
3.  Attend upon the ordinances of God.

The first two are self explanatory.  By the third, he meant that we should pray, go to worship, and participate in the sacraments.

Rule three has been interpreted over the years and now is more usually called "stay in love with God."

I have been thinking about preaching a sermon on these 3 rules.  But since I don't have a pulpit, I would have to preach it and put it on youtube or facebook video.  I am not sure that I am technical enough to do so.  Can you help me?

Anyway, today I am going to say a very few words about rule 1, do no harm.  Here I go...
The church needs to stop hurting people.  The church needs to stop using the bible to hurt people.  The church needs to stop judging people.  Far too many Christians are living a Christianity that is hurting other people.

Rule 1.  Do no harm.  It's not that hard.

Imagine all the good that would come if we eliminated all of the harm from the world.  Imagine the love that would float to the top if we just stopped hurting people.

Do no harm.

It's a beautiful day in God's world be sure to see the good.
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I am leading a trip to Ireland next year. If you are interested in reading about it, or joining in, the link is below.....

Treasures of Ireland

July 13-22, 2020

http://www.eo.travelwithus.com/tours/ir20071320a17768#eotours

God is in control

People say it all the time.  "God is in control."  I think they say this because it gives them some comfort in crazy times.  Times are crazy but God is in control.  I don't understand life, but God is in control.   Blah, blah, blah, but God is in control.

So do our choices mean nothing?  Are we puppets? 

I am a big believer in free will.  I think that God loves our free will.  He must, he made us that way.

One person once told me that God is in control, but God is not controlling.  I actually like that.  It allows God to still be the big in charge God, but it makes room for our free will.

Next time someone says that God is in control, ask them, so do our choices mean nothing?  In my opinion, our choices matter a bunch and they are very valuable to us and to God.

It's a beautiful day in God's world be sure to see the good.
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I am leading a trip to Ireland next year. If you are interested in reading about it, or joining in, the link is below.....

Treasures of Ireland

July 13-22, 2020

http://www.eo.travelwithus.com/tours/ir20071320a17768#eotours

Amazon Vans

Suddenly these vans are everywhere

over 20,000 have been ordered

There are 8 of them in this picture that I took last week in Ft. Pierce.

Amazon rolled out a plan last year for entrepreneurs to lease these blue-gray vans and deliver for Amazon.  I am just noticing them in the last couple of months.

I don't know what I am thinking about this, except that it is a big change and I see so many of them.  Imagine how much money UPS and the US Postal Service has lost as Amazon rolled this out.  Imagine how much money Ford and Mercedes has made from this move.

I guess like most people, I am not fond of change.  Well I guess I am ok with change as long as it affects you and not me.

If you live near one of the distribution sites... Drive carefully!

It's a beautiful day in God's world be sure to see the good.
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I am leading a trip to Ireland next year. If you are interested in reading about it, or joining in, the link is below.....

Treasures of Ireland

July 13-22, 2020

http://www.eo.travelwithus.com/tours/ir20071320a17768#eotours

paying attention

Some people don't pay attention to life.  They don't see things that they should see because they are not paying attention.  There was a clip on the news a few weeks ago where they interviewed people who drove past school buses with their stop signs out.  Many of the people said that they did not see the bus.

Not paying attention.

What would we see if we paid attention to life?  Here is an interesting thing that I saw the other day.  A bunch of big birds resting up on a tower.  They looked kind of gross, like vultures, but I guess God does not consider them gross.  He made them that way.

a person might drive by and not notice

there are a bunch of these birds hanging out

some of them spread their wings
 like they were warming themselves

What things do I walk by in life without seeing?  What people do I walk by in this life without seeing?

When we pay attention, life is interesting, and life is beautiful.

It's a beautiful day in God's world be sure to see the good.
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I am leading a trip to Ireland next year. If you are interested in reading about it, or joining in, the link is below.....

Treasures of Ireland

July 13-22, 2020

http://www.eo.travelwithus.com/tours/ir20071320a17768#eotours

What we want for Christmas part 2

From my friend Di....

I was talking to a friend the other day about what is important for Christmas and it reminded me of a Christmas about 6 years ago. We were spending it with our daughter's family and her in-laws. My husband and I decided, instead of buying expensive gifts and "stuff", we would get each of our grown children a small gift to open and then donate goats (to end world hunger) through Heifer International in their names. Well, the in-laws had 3 grown children and the gifts being exchanged Christmas morning, let me say that "in abundance" was inadequate to describe the scene. There were gifts everywhere. Then it was our family's turn to exchange gifts. The looks on the faces of the adult children, as well as the in laws, was priceless. All the commotion stopped and faces screwed up in confusion. My husband and I had a good laugh and then explained why they got "goats" for Christmas. We were pleased. After a while everyone was pleased. The Christmas spirit flowed in the room. As a result of that Christmas, gift giving is toned way down, and donations to charities in each others names are way up. The pressure is off for buying multiple gifts, and more emphasis is on the important thing: the manger. Joy to the World!

friends

I recently traveled to another town to do some handyman work.  I called ahead and stayed with some old friends.  Well, they are younger than I am, so they are not old, and I have not known them for all that long, but we are friends.

They said, of course come stay with us.  We went to dinner and stayed up and talked.  I slept in a nice bed and we visited in the morning.  The thing that I valued the most about the visit however, was the welcome.

Welcome is such a powerful thing.  We hear about people visiting churches and not feeling welcomed.  How sad.

We are all looking for connection in this life.
What do you, what do I do to welcome others into our lives?  Welcome begins with noticing people that might otherwise go unnoticed.  Seeing them, valuing them and then showing kindness.

May we all multiply the gift of welcome this day and every day.

It's a beautiful day in God's world be sure to see the good.
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I am leading a trip to Ireland next year. If you are interested in reading about it, or joining in, the link is below.....

Treasures of Ireland

July 13-22, 2020

http://www.eo.travelwithus.com/tours/ir20071320a17768#eotours

What do we want for Christmas?

When my parents were kids, they got nothing for Christmas.  On good years they would get some candy in their stocking, oh, and an orange.

When we were kids, our church gave out candy and fruit to the kids after service on Christmas Eve.  We were not impressed.  We had moved on.  We had candy around the house all the time.

When I was a kid, we wanted GI Joes and sports equipment.  I suppose that today's kids want electronic gadgets.

Now I am 62 years old.  Christmas is coming.  What do I want? 

Why is that even a question?  When did Christmas become about what I want?  That is just wrong.  Christmas should only be about us giving thanks for God reaching down to the earth with a message of Good News.

But since I started with what do we/I want for Christmas, let me go there.  I really don't need anything.  I really don't want anything.  We are pretty fortunate and if I want a Ring doorbell, I guess we can buy one.  If I want to buy a new tool, I guess that I can.  I don't need anything for Christmas.

But what I would like, is to see my family and friends.  To look into their eyes and to tell them how much I love them.  Hugs and smiles all around.  That would make for a great Christmas.  Heck, that would make for a great day, any day.  Why not deliver a smile and a hug today.

It's a beautiful day in God's world be sure to see the good.
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I am leading a trip to Ireland next year. If you are interested in reading about it, or joining in, the link is below.....

Treasures of Ireland

July 13-22, 2020

http://www.eo.travelwithus.com/tours/ir20071320a17768#eotours

I can read you

I can read you.  Well, I can read some people.  Some I can't. 

I can remember walking through the office area saying good morning and realizing that someone was hurting.  How do we read them?  Is it in their eyes?  The energy or lack thereof?  If I sensed that they were in distress, I would sit down with them, or I would go ask someone that was closer to them to go check up on them.

Last Sunday morning I was happy at church.  Everything was fine.  I was being my friendly self.  Then it happened.  Someone asked me, "you're not ok, something is going on."

Boom.  She read me.  Deep beneath the Sunday happy face was a sadness.  We had a brief but nice chat.  It was nice to be able to say a few words about feeling broken.

- - -

Do you read people?   Can you tell if someone is hurting?  Look at someone a bit longer... sense how they are.  Reach for them.  There are lots of people out there that need a hug.  They may be hurting behind the Sunday happy face.  Your care for them can mean so much.


It's a beautiful day in God's world be sure to see the good.
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I am leading a trip to Ireland next year. If you are interested in reading about it, or joining in, the link is below.....

Treasures of Ireland

July 13-22, 2020

http://www.eo.travelwithus.com/tours/ir20071320a17768#eotours

fixing broken things

When I was full time in ministry I was accused on occasion of not having a vision.  I guess that since we did not have a 1, 3, and 5 year strategic plan, some folks didn't think that we would be successful.

I took a different approach to vision and ministry.  I was never interested in strategic planning.  Instead,  I [we] focused on repairing the broken things.  The simple broken items of church culture and ministry that hold you back.  Like weights on a balloon, if you collect enough broken things, the balloon cannot fly.  Enough broken things and the organization, the individual, the anything can't fly.  But remove the restraints and watch something rise to its potential.

Broken things that I faced as a church leader included a myriad of things...

• walls that needed paint
• not enough parking
• trees that needed to be trimmed
• ineffective staff or volunteers
• internal bickering
• people focused on their preference instead of the mission
• weak programs
• there are hundreds of different kinds of broken things in an organization

All of these things will hold an organization back.  But work on them one at a time, and watch your organization begin to rise to the top.  But don't rest there, about the time the 8th thing gets fixed, the first thing comes apart again.  It is a constant struggle to keep the mechanisms well oiled and operational.

I had a staff person whose job over the years simply became "fix the broken things."  And they were very good at it.

Is your organization sinking?  Is your family sinking?  Is your self esteem in a rut?  Begin to focus on the one or two broken parts.  Fix them one at a time.  Watch yourself begin to rise to the joy of life.

It's a beautiful day in God's world be sure to see the good.
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I am leading a trip to Ireland next year. If you are interested in reading about it, or joining in, the link is below.....

Treasures of Ireland

July 13-22, 2020

http://www.eo.travelwithus.com/tours/ir20071320a17768#eotours

covering brokenness with grace

I received a very very nice email from my friend Jim.  One of the things that he talked about in his note was about how he was broken, yet tried to show grace and love.  All of that was in the same sentence...

I got to thinking... we are indeed all broken, and sometimes it hurts.  Sometimes we don't know what to say about it or what to do.  Some of it is not fixable.

But... but... but...

There is something that we can do.  In the midst of our brokenness, we can show grace and love.  We can take the focus off of ourselves and extend grace and love to others.  When we do this, at least for a few moments, we forget about our brokenness and pain.  We can't think about two things at the same time can we? 

So, broken or not, lets show grace and love.  It may make us feel a little more whole.  And just think of how the recipient of our grace and love will feel.

It's a beautiful day in God's world be sure to see the good.
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I am leading a trip to Ireland next year. If you are interested in reading about it, or joining in, the link is below.....

Treasures of Ireland

July 13-22, 2020

http://www.eo.travelwithus.com/tours/ir20071320a17768#eotours

rivalries

Rivalries:

Alabama-Auburn
Florida-Florida State
KU-MU
Oklahoma-Texas
Baptist-Methodist
Catholic-Pentecostal
Conservative-Progressive
Chiefs-Raiders

Rivalries are fun in football, but they can get out of hand and become unhealthy very quickly.
Rivalries have no place in religion.

One of the interesting things about seeing an injury on the field of play is how the rivalry immediately ends.  The stands grow quiet, everyone watches to see if the player is moving his limbs.  The cart comes in to take the person off of the field.  We remember that we are first of all on the same team, the human team. 

Then the cart leaves the field and the hatred continues.
It is ridiculous.

Sure I hope your team wins.  But really, who cares?  I hope everyone enjoys watching and playing the game.  But don't let your day or your week be ruined if it doesn't go the way that you want.

Several times over the years I was approached by a Pastor from another church who felt it necessary to tell me that his church was and would always be larger than mine.  Really?  who cares.   I hope everyone's church does well.  We must remember that when we come to religion, there is no room for tribal hatred.  We are all God's children and that puts us all on the same team.

Let us all treat one another like we are indeed from the same tribe and on the same team.

It's a beautiful day in God's world be sure to see the good.
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I am leading a trip to Ireland next year. If you are interested in reading about it, or joining in, the link is below.....

Treasures of Ireland

July 13-22, 2020

http://www.eo.travelwithus.com/tours/ir20071320a17768#eotours

God is bigger than the book

In a desert country trees were scarce and fruit was hard to come by. It was said that God wanted to make sure there was enough for everyone, so He appeared to a prophet and said, “This is my commandment to the whole people for now and for future generations: no one shall eat more than one fruit a day. Record this in the Holy Book. Anyone who transgresses this law will be considered to have sinned against God and against humanity.”

The law was faithfully observed for centuries until scientists discovered a means for turning the desert into green land. The country became rich in grain and livestock. And the trees bent down with the weight of unplucked fruit. But the fruit law continued to be en­forced by the civil and religious authorities of the land.

Anyone who pointed to the sin against humanity in­volved in allowing fruit to rot on the ground was dubb­ed a blasphemer and an enemy of morality. These people, who questioned the wisdom of God’s Holy Word, were being guided by the proud spirit of reason, it was said, and lacked the spirit of faith and submission whereby alone the Truth can be received.

In the churches sermons were frequently delivered in which those who broke the law were shown to have come to a bad end. Never once was mention made of the equal number of those who came to a bad end even though they had faithfully kept the law or of the vast number of those who prospered even though they broken it.

Nothing could be done to change the law because the prophet who had claimed to have received it from God was long since dead. He might have had the courage and the sense to change the law as circumstances changed for he had taken God’s Word, not as something to be revered, but as something to be used for the welfare of the people.

As a result, some people openly scoffed at the law and at God and religion. Others broke it secretly and always with a sense of wrongdoing. The vast majority adhered rigorously to it and came to think of themselves as holy merely because they held on to a senseless and outdated custom they were too frightened to jettison.

God is bigger than the book. Love should always be the first rule.

It's a beautiful day in God's world be sure to see the good.
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I am leading a trip to Ireland next year. If you are interested in reading about it, or joining in, the link is below.....

Treasures of Ireland

July 13-22, 2020

http://www.eo.travelwithus.com/tours/ir20071320a17768#eotours

$1.50

A friend of mine shared this story.   On Wednesday, he was on the way to St. Louis for Thanksgiving.  A light started blinking on the dash.  One of the tires on his car was low.  For whatever reason, he was cash-less.  He stopped at a gas station planning to use his debit card to buy a drink and get cash.  The air compressor was $1.50

The clerk explained that they did not give cash back.  He said, oh, well I needed air.  He started out the door.  The clerk hollered and stopped him.  Seems that she keeps quarters back for indigent folks who need air but don't have the money.  Not that he is indigent, but he did need the quarters.

He thanked her and promised to pay her back.
She said, Don't worry about it, Have a Happy Thanksgiving.

This morning he woke up to drive back home.  On the way there, he stopped at Price Chopper, bought a box of Russel Stover candies, and got some cash back in the purchase.  He headed to the town where the clerk had given him $1.50 two days before.

When he walked in the door, he was pleased to see that the same clerk was working.  He asked if she remembered him... yes she did.  He handed her the chocolates saying, these are for you.  Then he gave her a $10 roll of quarters.  He said, this is for your quarter collection...keep up the good work.

They exchanged smiles.  One person helping another, who then helps another...

How have you been blessed in the past by an act of kindness?  How have you paid it forward?  Would you be willing to start a chain of kindness by engaging in a random unprovoked act of kindness?  Think of all the good that might come from one small act of love.

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

Thanksgiving

Come ye thankful people come.
Raise the song that harvest has come.
All are safely gathered in
Before the winter storms begin
God our maker will provide
for our wants to be supplied
Come to God's own temple come
Raise the song... we are safe and we are home.

I love Thanksgiving.  It is such a beautiful holiday.
If you are really awake in life, then you know that every single day is thanksgiving.

If you can find one thing to be thankful for it changes everything.
Are you sad?  Is your nose stuffy?
There is something yet to be thankful for.  Find it.  Find the thing.
If you can find one thing to be thankful for it changes everything.

Meister Eckhart, a Catholic monk lived around 1300.  One of his favorite quotes....
"If the only prayer that you learn in this life is thank you, then that is enough."

Happy Thanksgiving my friends!

It's a beautiful day in God's world be sure to see the good.
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I am leading a trip to Ireland next year. If you are interested in reading about it, or joining in, the link is below.....

Treasures of Ireland

July 13-22, 2020

http://www.eo.travelwithus.com/tours/ir20071320a17768#eotours

feeling safe

Last week I had breakfast with my friends Pete and Carol.  They are heavily involved with a mission school in Haiti.  I love ministries that reach out to the least of these.

They were telling me about their last trip.  There is unrest in Haiti now and on several occasions they were told to leave a place because it was not safe for them.  Angry young men set up road blocks and you either had to pay them to continue on or find another route.

It occurred to me as they were talking, I have never, or hardly ever felt unsafe in the USA.  Thanksgiving is here and I am thankful for something that we so often take for granted, feeling safe.

Thank you God that we feel safe.  Please bless those who do not feel safe.  May we all appreciate the sense of feeling safe it is such a blessing.

It's a beautiful day in God's world be sure to see the good.
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I am leading a trip to Ireland next year. If you are interested in reading about it, or joining in, the link is below.....

Treasures of Ireland

July 13-22, 2020

http://www.eo.travelwithus.com/tours/ir20071320a17768#eotours

sacred space

From my friend Ginger...

“The space in our head and heart is sacred. We can believe the lie that we must do things the way we always have. We can believe we are powerless in our circumstances. Or we can believe that God made us for something more. “

I would like to add... yes I totally agree.  Where ever we are, we don't have to stay stuck.  We have the power, and we alone have the power to work with God to make our hearts and minds work in more kind and gracious ways. 

If you don't like where your heart and mind are at, today would be a great day to choose to begin the journey of change.

It's a beautiful day in God's world be sure to see the good.
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I am leading a trip to Ireland next year. If you are interested in reading about it, or joining in, the link is below.....

Treasures of Ireland

July 13-22, 2020

http://www.eo.travelwithus.com/tours/ir20071320a17768#eotours

we just don't know

We just don't know what is behind someone's behavior.  Maybe they are sad, maybe they are angry, maybe they are violent.  Maybe they are hateful.

We just don't know why people do what they do.  Not to justify bad behavior, but maybe their heart is breaking.  Maybe they are angry about something in their life and are taking it out on other drivers.  Maybe their entire life they have felt inferior and it comes bursting out from time to time.

I helps me to remember that behind someone's hurtful behavior is probably some form of hurt.

Yes, I wish people would take responsibility to make their life better, but not all will do so.

So at least for today, instead of hurting back, I am going to absorb the pain.  You never know what is going on in someone else's heart or head.

It's a beautiful day in God's world be sure to see the good.
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I am leading a trip to Ireland next year. If you are interested in reading about it, or joining in, the link is below.....

Treasures of Ireland

July 13-22, 2020

http://www.eo.travelwithus.com/tours/ir20071320a17768#eotours

The uncertainty of sermon preparation

A few weeks ago I preached a sermon on the church and what it takes for us to be relevant.  I thank Pastor Tim for the opportunity to fill in for him.

The sermon was delivered on Nov 10 and when I sent out the audio, several of you let me know that the audio was cut off.  I don't know why but for some reason my phone shut off half way thru the recording.  I'm sorry.

Anyway, As I prepared for this sermon I was reminded of how difficult this process is.  [unless you just steal someone else's, but that creates its own issues.] When I was serving the church full time, I can tell you that it seemed like Sunday came 3x a week.  Sometimes you would work on a thing, go to bed on Saturday night praying, "Lord, you are really going to have to help this one."  Sometimes I would wake up on Sunday morning and look at the notes and think, "oh my gosh, what was I thinking?"  Sometimes after service people would go out and say, "well, that was not one of your best."  The pressure to think that you can speak for God is really difficult.

Imagine having to say something spiritual, every Sunday.  What if you don't feel spiritual?  What if you are struggling with loneliness or such?  Doesn't matter.  I will never forget the Mother's Day when a member came up to me and said, "good morning Jeff, it's Mothers day and my mother is here with me.  This better be a good one."

The point of all of this is that preaching is a huge responsibility.  Le us remember to pray for our preachers and encourage them.  It is not an easy endeavor.

It's a beautiful day in God's world be sure to see the good.
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I am leading a trip to Ireland next year. If you are interested in reading about it, or joining in, the link is below.....

Treasures of Ireland

July 13-22, 2020

http://www.eo.travelwithus.com/tours/ir20071320a17768#eotours