A week ago Sunday I mentioned that one of my confessions would be that I feel that I have not done as good of a job as I could have/should have, visiting with you about prayer. Trying to help you understand the purpose of, and benefit of Godly prayer.
I share these three prayers with you over the last few days to give you a picture of what I think are some of Christianity's best prayers. I asked you to read them and look for the common themes. Several of you commented, and you get it.
If you take a moment today and read them again, you will see the common themes. Prayer submits me to God. Pray brings my heart to kneel. In prayer I am lost in him and in his purpose. In prayer I realize that nothing on my heart or mind compares to basking in his presence.
Now at this point someone will say that God cares for our needs and concerns. I would agree. But these should not be the primary focus of our praying. Our praying needs to be about spending time with the Master........ with no strings attached.
When I come to your house to dinner, it is about us hanging out and enjoying each other. It is not about me asking you for everything.
This is such a change to the thoughts of most American Christians, who think that God is a spiritual vending machine...... prayer in - blessings out. The monastics, and the great Christ followers of all time, found peace and rest in the presence of the one that they loved.
And so in prayer, I lose myself in Him. I find myself in him. I retreat from the world, so that I can return to it as the person he made me to be. In prayer I say, not my will but thine. In prayer I deliver my time, talent and treasure to him for his disposal. It all came from him anyway, and our lives find perspective when our focus is leaning into him instead of worrying about our stuff.
I also find it a bit interesting that often in prayer, you are the answer. Not that you are some power broker, but often, the answer that we seek comes from us simply releasing ourselves to do and be what God calls us to be. This principle is illustrated in the old story of the person who was going to ask God why he allowed so many people to die of hunger, but then the person decided not to ask, because he/she was afraid that God might ask the same of us. Why do we allow so many people to die of hunger? And so, as I am submitted to God, I can become the answer to many of my prayers.
There is so much to say on this subject, but this post is long enough. May you find the place in prayer where worldly concerns are absorbed and dissipated by the sheer joy of holding fast to the one that you love, and who loves you like no other.
It's at beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Monday, August 30, 2010
the youth rock
Tomorrow we will talk about the three prayers. Today, I can only write about the awesome mark that the youth made on my life yesterday. So, ok, I am easy. If anyone is hungry to be touched by God, it has to be the preacher that does not have to preach on a particular Sunday. For once in your life you get to go sit in the pew with your wife and listen to the service.
The youth did not disappoint us. The music was awesome. The singers were awesome. The speakers were awesome. The energy from the youth group was beyond description. If you missed it, I am sorry for you. If you intentionally skipped it, then you have reaped the reward for that choice.
Young people, you were awesome. I was blessed. I can only hope that I give to others the same touch of God that you gave to me at the youth service on Sunday. I can't tell you how excited I am for you and how proud I am of all of you. Thank you!
It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.
The youth did not disappoint us. The music was awesome. The singers were awesome. The speakers were awesome. The energy from the youth group was beyond description. If you missed it, I am sorry for you. If you intentionally skipped it, then you have reaped the reward for that choice.
Young people, you were awesome. I was blessed. I can only hope that I give to others the same touch of God that you gave to me at the youth service on Sunday. I can't tell you how excited I am for you and how proud I am of all of you. Thank you!
It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.
Sunday, August 29, 2010
3 favorite prayers pt.3
St. Ignatius of Loyola 1491-1556 was a Spanish priest who founded the Order of Jesus [Jesuits]. He is the patron saint of spiritual retreats. He left some pretty cool prayers. Here is one called surrender:
Take O Lord and receive my entire liberty, my memory, my understanding, and my whole will. All that I am, and all that I possess, you have given me. I surrender it all to you to be disposed of according to your will. Give me only your love and grace. With these, i will be rich enough and will desire nothing more.
It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.
Saturday, August 28, 2010
3 favorite prayers pt.2
John Wesley [1703-1791] was an Anglican Priest who inadvertently became the founder of the Methodist Church. He was a fiery preacher who led thousands of people to Christ. Travelling by horseback all over England he would preach three times per day. The common people of the day responded with joy to his message of grace.
Wesley spoke seven languages and wrote a ton of books. Consequently, he made a lot of money, but lived a very austere lifestyle and gave the rest to the poor. Among his many writings is a prayer that has become known as the Wesley Covenant Prayer.
I am no longer my own but thine. Put me with what thou wilt, rank me with whom thou wilt. Put me to doing. Put me to suffering. Let me be employed by thee or laid aside for thee. Exalted by thee or brought low by thee. Let me be full or let me be empty. Let me have all things or let me have nothing. I freely and heartily yield all things to thy pleasure and disposal. And now O glorious and blessed God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, thou are mine, and I am thine. So be it. And the covenant which I have made on earth, let it be ratified in heaven.
Good stuff.
It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.
Friday, August 27, 2010
3 favorite prayers pt.1
I have three favorite historic prayers. I am going to share them with you over the next 3 days. They are awesome. See if you can see a common thread within these three prayers.
St. Francis: Giovanni Fransesco de Bernardone 1181-1226. Patron Saint of animals and the environment. He organized an order of friars which would become known as the Franciscans. You see a lot of statues of him in gardens. We have one at our house. Although he only lived for 45 years, he left quite a mark on the world, and he left one of my favorite prayers.
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love.
Where there is injury, pardon.
Where there is doubt, faith.
Where there is despair, hope.
Where there is darkness, light.
Where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master-
Grant that I may not seek to be consoled, as to console.
to be understood, as to understand.
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive.
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned.
It is in dying that we are born again to eternal life.
Amen.
It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.
St. Francis: Giovanni Fransesco de Bernardone 1181-1226. Patron Saint of animals and the environment. He organized an order of friars which would become known as the Franciscans. You see a lot of statues of him in gardens. We have one at our house. Although he only lived for 45 years, he left quite a mark on the world, and he left one of my favorite prayers.
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love.
Where there is injury, pardon.
Where there is doubt, faith.
Where there is despair, hope.
Where there is darkness, light.
Where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master-
Grant that I may not seek to be consoled, as to console.
to be understood, as to understand.
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive.
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned.
It is in dying that we are born again to eternal life.
Amen.
It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
myth #4
Oh no. We are going to become a mega church. If we become a mega church, a lot of people are going to leave. We don't want to be a mega church.
Ok. So, what is a mega church? And, who gets to decide when there are enough people?
Personally, I am sick to my stomach thinking about how many people are here now. I go to meetings with people who have attended for years, and I don't even know them. It drives me crazy.
But, who of you would like to stand out at the front door and tell the really new folks that they can't come in? We have enough. You can't come in because we don't want to become a mega church.
I thought that we were supposed to win every person that we could to Jesus Christ and his church. If that is so, then how do you stop that? When do you get to stop that? Do you ever get to decide how big your church will be? Isn't it a blessing if others want to come to your church? I am sure there are lots of churches who wish that they were at capacity and still others want to come.
Jesus did not stop with the 12. Nor did he stop with the 70 or the 120. There are millions of Christians all over the world, and he keeps trying to win more. So should we. It is not about our comfort, or how many, it is about us hearing the call of Christ to reach out and working to fulfill our potential. Is there someone that you know that you want to invite to church?
The harvest is plentiful but the laborers are few. pray that God would send others to work the fields. God wants everyone to come to a knowledge of him. he wants everyone to come into a relationship with him. We have no right to stop that because we are uncomfortable around crowds.
Sorry, but that is just the way that it is.
It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.
Ok. So, what is a mega church? And, who gets to decide when there are enough people?
Personally, I am sick to my stomach thinking about how many people are here now. I go to meetings with people who have attended for years, and I don't even know them. It drives me crazy.
But, who of you would like to stand out at the front door and tell the really new folks that they can't come in? We have enough. You can't come in because we don't want to become a mega church.
I thought that we were supposed to win every person that we could to Jesus Christ and his church. If that is so, then how do you stop that? When do you get to stop that? Do you ever get to decide how big your church will be? Isn't it a blessing if others want to come to your church? I am sure there are lots of churches who wish that they were at capacity and still others want to come.
Jesus did not stop with the 12. Nor did he stop with the 70 or the 120. There are millions of Christians all over the world, and he keeps trying to win more. So should we. It is not about our comfort, or how many, it is about us hearing the call of Christ to reach out and working to fulfill our potential. Is there someone that you know that you want to invite to church?
The harvest is plentiful but the laborers are few. pray that God would send others to work the fields. God wants everyone to come to a knowledge of him. he wants everyone to come into a relationship with him. We have no right to stop that because we are uncomfortable around crowds.
Sorry, but that is just the way that it is.
It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
myth number 3
Building myth #3 = we should not spend the money on a building, but we should spend the money on missions.
Ahh. So awesome sounding. But if we took that advice 12 years ago, we would still be spending $3,000 per year on missions. Fact is, the money we spent to build the building in 1999 opened the door and increased the potential so that now we are spending 100,000 per year on missions.
Making room for others grows the soil from which larger missions ideas grow. There are dreams for us out in the future in mission that we will never know if we do not invite others to join us.
Truth is, it is a both and. When others join you, your potential grows. But, that will never happen unless you make room for them. It all goes together. Space for people that will hear God's call and join us in mission. It all goes together.
It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.
Ahh. So awesome sounding. But if we took that advice 12 years ago, we would still be spending $3,000 per year on missions. Fact is, the money we spent to build the building in 1999 opened the door and increased the potential so that now we are spending 100,000 per year on missions.
Making room for others grows the soil from which larger missions ideas grow. There are dreams for us out in the future in mission that we will never know if we do not invite others to join us.
Truth is, it is a both and. When others join you, your potential grows. But, that will never happen unless you make room for them. It all goes together. Space for people that will hear God's call and join us in mission. It all goes together.
It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
building myth 2
If yesterday's post was building myth one: we have enough room. Today can be building myth two: the pastor only cares about new people.
Ouch.
If that were true, the only people that I would care about were the 125 that were here in 1994. Everyone else, since then, is technically "new". Because they have all been won to the church by the outreach efforts of the original group. Fact is, your pastor cares deeply about every single person in the church. Young, old and in between. Child, youth and adult. God's family includes every single one of you and it is my job to reach you when you are outside the church, care for you once in the church, and send you out into the world to reach others.
That is the cycle. We come in. We get our feet on the ground. We go out. Without the going out, there is no church, just a country club. And the going out into the world, by definition, implies reaching out to others.
It is not that the pastor cares for others more than those who are here, it is that the pastor's deep desire is that we all fulfill God's purpose by continuing to reach out. When we stop doing that, we have forgotten what the church is about.
So the pastor cares about all of you. And the pastor cares about all of you enough to not allow us to sink into our easy chair and decide that the world revolves around us. The gospel is active. It is out there, and it is waiting for your active participation today. I love you enough to challenge you to be about our Father's business.
It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.
Ouch.
If that were true, the only people that I would care about were the 125 that were here in 1994. Everyone else, since then, is technically "new". Because they have all been won to the church by the outreach efforts of the original group. Fact is, your pastor cares deeply about every single person in the church. Young, old and in between. Child, youth and adult. God's family includes every single one of you and it is my job to reach you when you are outside the church, care for you once in the church, and send you out into the world to reach others.
That is the cycle. We come in. We get our feet on the ground. We go out. Without the going out, there is no church, just a country club. And the going out into the world, by definition, implies reaching out to others.
It is not that the pastor cares for others more than those who are here, it is that the pastor's deep desire is that we all fulfill God's purpose by continuing to reach out. When we stop doing that, we have forgotten what the church is about.
So the pastor cares about all of you. And the pastor cares about all of you enough to not allow us to sink into our easy chair and decide that the world revolves around us. The gospel is active. It is out there, and it is waiting for your active participation today. I love you enough to challenge you to be about our Father's business.
It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.
Monday, August 23, 2010
we have enough room
I heard it the other day. Why build? We have enough room for us.
Please stop and think of what that sounds like and what that means.
If the people at Woods Chapel had said that in 1998, there would still only be 250 people in attendance. Everyone else that has joined since then would not even be here at the church.
When we join the church, we pledge to support it by our "prayers, presence, gifts, service and witness." What is our witness to the community if we stop making room for others? We have enough for us. That is all that matters.
When churches decide that they have arrived, they begin the process of dying. People with vision leave. People that want the church to reach out and touch the world, they leave. The church becomes a place that is turned in on itself, where everything is measured by "if it is good for us."
There are lots of churches like this around. Let us pray that our church does not become one. It is a very difficult place to come back from.
Jesus still calls us to reach the community with his love. There are lots of unchurched people in our neighborhoods. There is still this thing called the great commission. Let us draw together in pursuit of God's purpose for our church.
It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.
Please stop and think of what that sounds like and what that means.
If the people at Woods Chapel had said that in 1998, there would still only be 250 people in attendance. Everyone else that has joined since then would not even be here at the church.
When we join the church, we pledge to support it by our "prayers, presence, gifts, service and witness." What is our witness to the community if we stop making room for others? We have enough for us. That is all that matters.
When churches decide that they have arrived, they begin the process of dying. People with vision leave. People that want the church to reach out and touch the world, they leave. The church becomes a place that is turned in on itself, where everything is measured by "if it is good for us."
There are lots of churches like this around. Let us pray that our church does not become one. It is a very difficult place to come back from.
Jesus still calls us to reach the community with his love. There are lots of unchurched people in our neighborhoods. There is still this thing called the great commission. Let us draw together in pursuit of God's purpose for our church.
It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.
Sunday, August 22, 2010
victory
This post is shamelessly human. Never count the old guy out.
I was on a canoe trip Friday and Saturday. Same bunch of guys for the last four years. One of the traditions of the trip is that everybody tries to dunk the biggest guy. Don't feel bad for him, this is just what happens when you are the biggest dude on the block. You get used to it.
Well, for years, we have tried unsuccessfully. One at a time, two at a time, surprise attack, nothing worked.
This year, everything changed. let's just say that the oldest guy dunked the biggest guy. Alone. Mano e mano. Yes, it was a surprise attack, but when you are the oldest guy you have to do what you can to settle the score. Regardless, anyway you look at it, he went all the way under.
Yes, he got up and thrashed the old guy like a rag doll, but it was all worth it. Victory is sweet.
It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.
I was on a canoe trip Friday and Saturday. Same bunch of guys for the last four years. One of the traditions of the trip is that everybody tries to dunk the biggest guy. Don't feel bad for him, this is just what happens when you are the biggest dude on the block. You get used to it.
Well, for years, we have tried unsuccessfully. One at a time, two at a time, surprise attack, nothing worked.
This year, everything changed. let's just say that the oldest guy dunked the biggest guy. Alone. Mano e mano. Yes, it was a surprise attack, but when you are the oldest guy you have to do what you can to settle the score. Regardless, anyway you look at it, he went all the way under.
Yes, he got up and thrashed the old guy like a rag doll, but it was all worth it. Victory is sweet.
It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.
Saturday, August 21, 2010
today's lesson is.....
Romans 12
Place Your Life Before God
1-2 So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.
I am at my best when I am not trying to fit in...to feel comfortable....to be what someone else expects. It takes to much effort. For me there seems to be little reward or satisfaction in conformity. The older I get the less appealing it has become....life is too short to not explore it and what it has in store for me. My father was that way. He saw things and people from a whole other angle. As a kid I used to think he was just strange, as an adult I began to see and understand him differently....scary when that happens. I suppose the key is to become comfortable in your own skin and understanding that, "God brings the best out of you" if you let him.
Peace,
Lion's Den Man
Place Your Life Before God
1-2 So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.
I am at my best when I am not trying to fit in...to feel comfortable....to be what someone else expects. It takes to much effort. For me there seems to be little reward or satisfaction in conformity. The older I get the less appealing it has become....life is too short to not explore it and what it has in store for me. My father was that way. He saw things and people from a whole other angle. As a kid I used to think he was just strange, as an adult I began to see and understand him differently....scary when that happens. I suppose the key is to become comfortable in your own skin and understanding that, "God brings the best out of you" if you let him.
Peace,
Lion's Den Man
Friday, August 20, 2010
village people part 2
Back in July I wrote about our family's positive experience with sports, teams and coaches. I mentioned a friend of mine that is both a teacher and a coach, how he loves what he does and how important and rewarding it is to him to help kids reach their potential. Yesterday I got to see him in action. He and his coaching staff had a student athlete that needed encouragement. They understood the situation. They showed compassion. They humbled themselves by sharing their own similar personal experiences and struggles. They brought humor into the conversation. Weaknesses were not mentioned. They worked from the positive. They made the student feel whole and inspired. It was so perfect it almost seemed choreographed....but it wasn't....it was just an honest and pure response made by a few good people who want to make a difference in the life of a kid. Awesome!
As I said before, it takes a village, and I am in a good one.
Peace,
Lion's Den Man
As I said before, it takes a village, and I am in a good one.
Peace,
Lion's Den Man
Thursday, August 19, 2010
more on guilt
Someone asked if Jesus delivered guilt. What about his pointed painful talks with the pharisees? I guess I would agree that Jesus squared off with a few people. He challenged them to stop oppressing and hurting people. I think there are people and systems in the world today that Jesus would challenge if he were here in person.
I do think that there is a difference between squaring off with someone, telling the truth as you see it, and delivering guilt.
Guilt is something that we use as a tool to manipulate people to do what we want them to do. Parents are known to do this to their children. Some pastors do this to their people. Some churches have a theological approach that is all about casting blame and shame in an attempt to straighten people up. Those that engage in delivering guilt generally tend to do so as a normal part of their mode of operation. They may not even see that they are doing it. After all, aren't they just trying to help people do right? But the end of such behavior is hurt and pain. The end of guilt delivery is broken and crushed people. We end up driving away the very people that we were trying to win.
Yes Jesus squared off with the arrogant. But Jesus did not in my opinion try to motivate people by shaming them or making them feel guilty. I don't think we should either.
It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.
I do think that there is a difference between squaring off with someone, telling the truth as you see it, and delivering guilt.
Guilt is something that we use as a tool to manipulate people to do what we want them to do. Parents are known to do this to their children. Some pastors do this to their people. Some churches have a theological approach that is all about casting blame and shame in an attempt to straighten people up. Those that engage in delivering guilt generally tend to do so as a normal part of their mode of operation. They may not even see that they are doing it. After all, aren't they just trying to help people do right? But the end of such behavior is hurt and pain. The end of guilt delivery is broken and crushed people. We end up driving away the very people that we were trying to win.
Yes Jesus squared off with the arrogant. But Jesus did not in my opinion try to motivate people by shaming them or making them feel guilty. I don't think we should either.
It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
an ounce
There is an old saying: an ounce of mother is worth a pound of pastor. Let me say it another way: an ounce of love is worth a pound of pastor.
Recently, I delivered an ounce of guilt to someone. Maybe even a half an ounce. And... it crushed them. I did not mean to deliver the guilt, I thought I was trying to do good. But evidently it hurt them. Obviously it hurt them.
I am sorry. Guilt is a very painful thing. Jesus never dealt in guilt. We need to be very careful about delivering guilt. Grace is the alternative. Grace. Grace. Grace. Grace. How can I help you see that you are loved, that you are awesome, that you are forgiven. Grace alone. We go forth, we go forward, we live, by grace alone.
It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.
Recently, I delivered an ounce of guilt to someone. Maybe even a half an ounce. And... it crushed them. I did not mean to deliver the guilt, I thought I was trying to do good. But evidently it hurt them. Obviously it hurt them.
I am sorry. Guilt is a very painful thing. Jesus never dealt in guilt. We need to be very careful about delivering guilt. Grace is the alternative. Grace. Grace. Grace. Grace. How can I help you see that you are loved, that you are awesome, that you are forgiven. Grace alone. We go forth, we go forward, we live, by grace alone.
It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
grass
Grass. We like it when it is pretty, green and free of weeds. There is a person not far from our house who did some re-sodding in their yard. They neglected to keep the sod watered and it died. What did come up though, was a nice stand of nutsedge. Nutsedge is that stuff that looks like grass but the blades are fatter and it grows really fast. Now the neighbor is watering their nutsedge, thinking it is grass. It is tough stuff to get rid of and definitely not grass.
And so what is growing in our lives? Is it Christian stuff or do we only think it is Christian stuff? How do you know the difference. It is pretty simple really. If what we are doing is Christ centered, it is Christian. If what we do is us centered, it is nutsedge. If self is in the mix, it only looks like the Christian life. To really find the joy of being a Christian, we need to learn to live lives that are void of self-interest. We need to learn and practice giving ourselves away for the sake of Christ.
When we do, oh what joy! It feels good! And the good news is, no matter where you are on the journey, you can begin today to live the life that is about loving others. God is love so when you love others, you will find him in your midst.
It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.
And so what is growing in our lives? Is it Christian stuff or do we only think it is Christian stuff? How do you know the difference. It is pretty simple really. If what we are doing is Christ centered, it is Christian. If what we do is us centered, it is nutsedge. If self is in the mix, it only looks like the Christian life. To really find the joy of being a Christian, we need to learn to live lives that are void of self-interest. We need to learn and practice giving ourselves away for the sake of Christ.
When we do, oh what joy! It feels good! And the good news is, no matter where you are on the journey, you can begin today to live the life that is about loving others. God is love so when you love others, you will find him in your midst.
It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.
Monday, August 16, 2010
family
There
are those moments when everyone is smiling and all is well. Don't let them go by without giving thanks to God. Because other moments may be coming where you will look at the pictures and remember the times and wonder.
Into each life a little rain must fall. Rain causes the flowers to grow. Sand irritates an oyster and produces a pearl. God makes all things beautiful in his time.
Look long term, keep busy and enjoy the pictures.
It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.
are those moments when everyone is smiling and all is well. Don't let them go by without giving thanks to God. Because other moments may be coming where you will look at the pictures and remember the times and wonder.Into each life a little rain must fall. Rain causes the flowers to grow. Sand irritates an oyster and produces a pearl. God makes all things beautiful in his time.
Look long term, keep busy and enjoy the pictures.
It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.
Sunday, August 15, 2010
church for sale
Beautiful little white church for sale in Ben Lomond, Calif.
When churches forget why they are here, they begin to die. The people forget about the great commission and turn inward. They forget that Jesus came to serve rather than to be served. Their sanctuaries become less and less filled. Joy is replaced with fear. The average age of the congregation begins to soar. Pretty soon the handwriting is on the wall. People begin to make plans to close, to merge, to end the dream. You see this repeated all over the country.
Sometimes I take time to wonder- who were these people, what were their dreams? Where did they go? What happened to the fire?
The remedy for this disaster is simple. Churches have to recover a sense of why they exist. They must refocus on the call of Christ. They, we all need to sniff out self-centeredness as it appears in our church world view, and find again the purpose to which Jesus calls us. When we do this, the church thrives and dry bones come back to life.
When you come to church, are you primarily looking for something for yourself, or do you realize that you are an important part of the plan of God to reach out and care about the people that he brings your way? Do you find your joy in what you get or what you give?
It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.
Saturday, August 14, 2010
plumbing and wildlife
Someone asked about the plumbing for the shower. Is there hot water or does it just run off the roof. Interestingly enough, the water pipes, both hot and cold are attached to the kitchen sink, they run outside, around the perimeter of the cabin, totally exposed to the weather, and finally back to the shower. The water was hot and it felt really good.
Another interesting thing about this camp was the number of deer that seemed to roam around with no fear of man. Now why would anyone be afraid of Quakers anyway? I saw many deer while I was there and they were very cooperative when I wanted to take their pictures.
Wouldn't it be nice if everyone was so trusting.
It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.
Friday, August 13, 2010
the haven pt 2
Someone asked what the bath room facilities were like at the haven. Well, there is a toilet inside the haven. but there is not a sink in the bathroom. the sink is in the kitchen. So, you go there to wash your hands.
The shower is outside. It is the kind of situation where you know no one is around, but you still feel kind of funny taking a shower out where anyone that came along could see you. See the picture?
We don't like to feel uncomfortable, but sometimes that is just how life is. Quaker life is simple. There is a mop and a bucket to clean the floor but no chemicals. Clean it with regular water. I think that is just how life used to be. And somehow, it is simple and it is good. I really enjoyed the stay.
It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.
Thursday, August 12, 2010
the haven
The name of the place that I stayed last week was "the haven." It was a nice cabin almost to the end of the road. The haven is one of several cabins that belong to the Quaker Center in Ben Lomond, Calif.No TV, no airconditioning, but you really didn't need it. Nice, but basic. Simple. That is the Quaker way.
To find a place of quiet is so important, and you don't have to go to California to do so. Today at 9am I baptized a young man at the beach at the cove behind the main Lakewood Clubhouse. It was so quiet and peaceful and beautiful back there at 9am.
Simple. Quiet. Good.
It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.
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