I believe one of the hardest things for me to accept about Christianity is that it's free. To make matters worse it compounds that by saying that anything you attempt to do is as menstrual rags...no matter how "good" we think it is. One of the stories that, to me, illustrates this well is the story of Naaman in the bible. See, Naaman had it all. He was a man of valor and blessed. His servants appeared to actually love him. There was one small detail in his life that was not really considered good, he had leprosy.
Naaman was told of a great prophet that could cleanse him. He approached his king and letters were written and a road trip was planned. He grabbed gobs of money and fine clothes for a gift and eventually visited Elisha. When he arrived, Elisha didn't even see him in person but sent instructions for him to wash 7 times in the Jordan river. You probably already know the story.
The part I really like is the indignation of Naaman at the proposed solution. He brought pounds and pounds of gold and silver, but the solution would merely cost him some trust and potentially humiliation. Doubt had to be prevalent.
It's the same with grace, isn't it? You can't one up Jesus by offering him a "fair" trade for it. It's priced the same for everyone...free. The catch is you have to believe and that may seem humiliating for some...
The waters fine, come on in!
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Thursday, April 19, 2012
Awesome project
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Routines
I really feel productive when I get in a routine. Things are predictable and can be anticipated and that sure does make one look smart and feel prepared. Additionally, planning is simpler since you know what's coming up. Yep...It's always refreshing when a routine starts up.
But, the distance between routine and rut is very short. Those scheduled events can become monotonous. The predictability of it all is such a killer of spontaneity. We all know that a little spontaneous action adds excitement to ones life. :-)
But, the distance between routine and rut is very short. Those scheduled events can become monotonous. The predictability of it all is such a killer of spontaneity. We all know that a little spontaneous action adds excitement to ones life. :-)
It's such a difficult balance to try to maintain. Especially, now that the sale of the house is complete. It seems that we all want to be "done with it"...that we want to be back in our routines again. The problem is that we've only just begun...
Lord help us adjust to this "chaos" and remember to keep things important that are important...and help us not long for the routine, but the adventure You have us on. In JESUS name!!!
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
The last thing you see...
I am under the weather today - having an eye funk of pink fashion and a mild sore throat and stuffy nose. I couldn't sleep last night so I got up about 430 and started some laundry since we are so far behind with it since the move action started. Speaking of behind, there are tons of things i can't get done due to this mess, I can't wait until it's all finished. Anyway, in my grouchiness, my wife blessed me with some good advice. She said, "why don't you go take a nap!". In as nice a way someone says something without pushing the grouchy person into an argument possibly could. So, heeding the advice, here I am. Staring at the ceiling. One thing about this rent house is there's no escape. Nowhere that's quiet. So a nap with everyone jostling about is a bit unrealistic. However, I laid there staring at the ceiling.
For whatever reason my mind drifted and I started thinking about folks in a hospital where the last thing that they may ever see on this earth are ceiling tiles or light fixtures. It's really kind of a sad thought.
Then, thinking of mortality in general my thought is, what is the last thing you'd want to see? What would you want your last words to be? How would you want people to remember you?
I realize for some those questions are insignificant and they don't care. But, leaving a legacy is important to me. I want to have loved well and worked hard when I am done. The important thing with that thought is that it can't just happen 2 seconds before your last breath. You won't be able to say the right words and everything fall into place. It's the culmination of life events that shape those kinds of things. It's the everyday.
Then, thinking of how I spend my days reveals a lot of why I have a bit of angst in this arena. Perhaps I'm a little too worried about entertainment. Or, maybe too worried about my time and stuff. Maybe I am a little too quick to anger. Maybe too many things are about me.
So, what about you? How important is your legacy? Is it important enough to make a change today? I hope I do.
Monday, April 9, 2012
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Friday, March 30, 2012
Who died and made us Judge?
During my youth class the other night most of the kids were in a very vocal state about the Trayvon shooting. Here are some of my thoughts about it.
1. Definitely a sad/bad situation.
2. Absolute truth - is it irrelevant?
3. Lemmings - any of various small, mouselike rodents of the genera Lemmus, Myopus, and Dicrostonyx, of far northern regions, as L. lemmus, of Norway, Sweden, etc., noted for periodic mass migrations that sometimes result in mass drownings.
4. S and s
The loss of life, the confusion, the apparent injustice in so many ways. But, why is this instance so special? I mean, I don't want to take away from the alleged heinousness of it. But, it seems to me that injustice occurs like this daily. Why are my students in an uproar. What about the mom who put her 2 year old in the dryer because the child wouldn't stop crying...then, turned it on and killed the child? What about the white cop that kicked the white lady in the head and knocked her out? A simple search on youtube reveals a plethora of injustices caught on tape. Why has this one been singled out?
Throughout the discussion it has already been decided that the man that shot Trayvon is guilty. Peoples opinions have already been tainted by the news and gossip around schools, offices, etc. There are groups gathering resources to "ensure" justice is served. Celebrities are twittering out the alleged murderers address so that folks can send him hate mail. Unfortunately, they sent out the address of an old couple instead (accidentally apparently) that cannot even return to their home now thanks to death threats...(what about the injustice to them?!!?!?!) The truth is almost unattainable and if the truth is revealed would probably not be accepted by most if it doesn't conform to what people already believe. Does truth matter here? Has the momentum grown too much for an innocent verdict to be decided without a revolt? It reminds me of "Crucify Him!, Crucify Him!". Where the influential opinion would coerce the masses to release a murderer and kill the Savior of the world. I am definitely not saying that the man that killed Trayvon is innocent and the Savior, I am just saying that people are easily influenced to demand the blood of someone in an apparently controversial situation without full understanding of the situation just because the masses are shouting "Crucify him" so to speak.
That leads me to lemmings. Lemmings are a form of rodent. They became the subject of a popular misconception that they commit mass suicide when they migrate. Actually, it is not a mass suicide but the result of their migratory behavior. Driven by strong biological urges, some species of lemmings may migrate in large groups when population density becomes too great. Lemmings can swim and may choose to cross a body of water in search of a new habitat. In such cases, many may drown if the body of water is so wide as to stretch their physical capability to the limit. This misconception gave rise to the metaphor of those who follow aimlessly, even to their own peril. When people are referred to as lemmings, that same metaphor is a reference to people that go along unquestioningly with popular opinion, with potentially dangerous or fatal consequences. (information from wikipedia on Lemmings)...In the same fashion, while I don't think there is a collaborative effort among media executives, we tend to follow the news as fact. And even more absurdly, tend to make important in our lives what they say is important. Let's be honest, the news companies are not in their line of business to benefit mankind, they are in business to make money. It's good business sense to focus on the sensational, controversial and absurd to raise their marketing value to attract companies that want put their advertisements in front of the most viewers eyes'. Yet, as they focus on most crazy issues that accomplish this ... the lemmings follow. Now, don't get me wrong, I don't necessarily think the news is evil or attempting to lead the world astray or anything like that...they are just trying to make money. I think the crux of the issue is our inability to discern with wisdom how we should respond to the fantastic...are we lemmings, lead by popular opinion, or are we believers in a sovereign God? Yep, I think those 2 are polar opposites contrary to the lemmings, er, rather, popular opinion. ;-)
Sin vs sin. That's a capital "S" sin vs. a lowercase "s" sin... you know...like MURDER vs. looking down your nose at someone. I mean, really...can we even compare the 2? This is where I think a lot of the issue lies with the Trayvon murder and the uproar that comes with it. It's an apparently easy thing to point at the alleged murderer and say GUILTY without even knowing the facts. Add the fact that in every paper, on every web page, in every classroom the lemmings are repeating what they "learn"...casting official judgment on what they think should happen. The alleged is now condemned without even going to trial. Here's my warning on that...to GOD, there is no difference in Sin and sin. There is no difference in MURDER and having an evil thought. That's right, have you stolen a paper clip? Talked back to your parents? Really wanted what someone else had? Thought about the opposite sex in hormonal ways? All that is sin...all of that separates us from a HOLY GOD. He hates all sin, not just the sins that in human minds are bad...ALL OF IT. So, the question I have is this: How do we, as guilty sinners ourselves, feel comfortable in pointing, talking about, casting judgment on ANYONE else? God is the ultimate judge. God has put/allowed the governments to be established for this type of thing on earth. The best advice is from Jesus on the matter - in Matthew 7:2 "For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you."
So, if we believe in a sovereign God how should we respond to this travesty? In my opinion and in following the example of Jesus, mercy should rule our thoughts. If you are a believer in Jesus, you are the recipients of mercy, grace and love in immeasurable amounts. We need to remember that and heed the advice of our savior in Matthew 7:2. As we make ourselves judges we could be condemning ourselves. Let's be careful how we proceed...remember LUV4-1ANOTHER
1. Definitely a sad/bad situation.
2. Absolute truth - is it irrelevant?
3. Lemmings - any of various small, mouselike rodents of the genera Lemmus, Myopus, and Dicrostonyx, of far northern regions, as L. lemmus, of Norway, Sweden, etc., noted for periodic mass migrations that sometimes result in mass drownings.
4. S and s
The loss of life, the confusion, the apparent injustice in so many ways. But, why is this instance so special? I mean, I don't want to take away from the alleged heinousness of it. But, it seems to me that injustice occurs like this daily. Why are my students in an uproar. What about the mom who put her 2 year old in the dryer because the child wouldn't stop crying...then, turned it on and killed the child? What about the white cop that kicked the white lady in the head and knocked her out? A simple search on youtube reveals a plethora of injustices caught on tape. Why has this one been singled out?
Throughout the discussion it has already been decided that the man that shot Trayvon is guilty. Peoples opinions have already been tainted by the news and gossip around schools, offices, etc. There are groups gathering resources to "ensure" justice is served. Celebrities are twittering out the alleged murderers address so that folks can send him hate mail. Unfortunately, they sent out the address of an old couple instead (accidentally apparently) that cannot even return to their home now thanks to death threats...(what about the injustice to them?!!?!?!) The truth is almost unattainable and if the truth is revealed would probably not be accepted by most if it doesn't conform to what people already believe. Does truth matter here? Has the momentum grown too much for an innocent verdict to be decided without a revolt? It reminds me of "Crucify Him!, Crucify Him!". Where the influential opinion would coerce the masses to release a murderer and kill the Savior of the world. I am definitely not saying that the man that killed Trayvon is innocent and the Savior, I am just saying that people are easily influenced to demand the blood of someone in an apparently controversial situation without full understanding of the situation just because the masses are shouting "Crucify him" so to speak.
That leads me to lemmings. Lemmings are a form of rodent. They became the subject of a popular misconception that they commit mass suicide when they migrate. Actually, it is not a mass suicide but the result of their migratory behavior. Driven by strong biological urges, some species of lemmings may migrate in large groups when population density becomes too great. Lemmings can swim and may choose to cross a body of water in search of a new habitat. In such cases, many may drown if the body of water is so wide as to stretch their physical capability to the limit. This misconception gave rise to the metaphor of those who follow aimlessly, even to their own peril. When people are referred to as lemmings, that same metaphor is a reference to people that go along unquestioningly with popular opinion, with potentially dangerous or fatal consequences. (information from wikipedia on Lemmings)...In the same fashion, while I don't think there is a collaborative effort among media executives, we tend to follow the news as fact. And even more absurdly, tend to make important in our lives what they say is important. Let's be honest, the news companies are not in their line of business to benefit mankind, they are in business to make money. It's good business sense to focus on the sensational, controversial and absurd to raise their marketing value to attract companies that want put their advertisements in front of the most viewers eyes'. Yet, as they focus on most crazy issues that accomplish this ... the lemmings follow. Now, don't get me wrong, I don't necessarily think the news is evil or attempting to lead the world astray or anything like that...they are just trying to make money. I think the crux of the issue is our inability to discern with wisdom how we should respond to the fantastic...are we lemmings, lead by popular opinion, or are we believers in a sovereign God? Yep, I think those 2 are polar opposites contrary to the lemmings, er, rather, popular opinion. ;-)
Sin vs sin. That's a capital "S" sin vs. a lowercase "s" sin... you know...like MURDER vs. looking down your nose at someone. I mean, really...can we even compare the 2? This is where I think a lot of the issue lies with the Trayvon murder and the uproar that comes with it. It's an apparently easy thing to point at the alleged murderer and say GUILTY without even knowing the facts. Add the fact that in every paper, on every web page, in every classroom the lemmings are repeating what they "learn"...casting official judgment on what they think should happen. The alleged is now condemned without even going to trial. Here's my warning on that...to GOD, there is no difference in Sin and sin. There is no difference in MURDER and having an evil thought. That's right, have you stolen a paper clip? Talked back to your parents? Really wanted what someone else had? Thought about the opposite sex in hormonal ways? All that is sin...all of that separates us from a HOLY GOD. He hates all sin, not just the sins that in human minds are bad...ALL OF IT. So, the question I have is this: How do we, as guilty sinners ourselves, feel comfortable in pointing, talking about, casting judgment on ANYONE else? God is the ultimate judge. God has put/allowed the governments to be established for this type of thing on earth. The best advice is from Jesus on the matter - in Matthew 7:2 "For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you."
So, if we believe in a sovereign God how should we respond to this travesty? In my opinion and in following the example of Jesus, mercy should rule our thoughts. If you are a believer in Jesus, you are the recipients of mercy, grace and love in immeasurable amounts. We need to remember that and heed the advice of our savior in Matthew 7:2. As we make ourselves judges we could be condemning ourselves. Let's be careful how we proceed...remember LUV4-1ANOTHER
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Concert issues
But that wasn't the end of it. Thoughts brewed in my head of whether certain taekwondo techniques would work if I would have just ignored his oversized demand. He'd reach I'd get him in an arm bar and pin his face to a metal pole or something. Why can't u just let things like that go?
Well he was wearing a thousand Foot Krutch shirt...so even as they played, I decided if he's with them, I don't like them either. And it just brewed like that for a while.
So now I let you know that it bugged me, and everythyng's better..
But I had a lot of fun and my ears are still ringing an hour after the music is over.
Here are some of the kiddos that went with me:
Monday, March 19, 2012
Challenged
I am definitely challenged by being in charge of a ministry. While I have a lot of challenges, I would say that there's one area that probably makes things a little more interesting than at most churches. In most, from my limited experience, usually have youth that come since their parent(s) come. The youth that come to my church come because they get picked up. The advantage of this is that they want to be there...the disadvantage is that no one is "encouraging" them to come. It makes it tough to develop any type of consistency.
Last night we must have gone through the story of Abram about 15 times....however, the kids seemed resilient and it was encouraging to see them grasp something that they were not familiar with. I kept them late accidentally...
How do I develop consistency with this group? I am definitely challenged...
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