zimmerzblogz

2007-03-22T21:20:00.000-05:00

What I learned from Making a Picnic Table

Not given to wood working of any kind last winter I got this idea in my head that I would commense to make my family a picnic table. Never mind that I have not taken one minute of shop class in my life, but I figured that I've been in the ministry for over 14 years - what can be so hard about a picnic table? I got these plans free online, so I ran them off. Next thing you know I'm at Lowes buying lumber, screws, nuts, and washers!

Well, Saturday came and away I went. Getting the first "A frame" going was not so easy, but I quickly got my head in the ball game after that and it was all down hill from there. This week I put the primer and white paint on and well...it looks great if I say so myself. A lot better than maybe even I had given myself credit for. I'm hoping to put that little white beauty out in the back yard once the pin oak tree starts leafing up a bit more. I can't wait for my kids to eat their popscicles on it, have my neighbors over for cookouts, have my family out and just have an all around good time around that table.

What I learned about building the table.
You can learn new techniques and skills in your mid 30's. 2) you can dream of doing something and even do it even if you've never done it before, 3) I should have taken a little shop in high school but at least I have good buddies at Westlake that don't laugh at me when I ask basic questions, 4) I kept envisioning my family and neighbors around that table. I think my hope was that some day many would even be involved in a discussion of faith around that table. I'm pretty sure that was a huge motivating factor to start and complete this table. 5) If I can build a table - who knows what I could make or build next! Yikes, that sound scarry! Well, maybe if you're reading this you could bring the dogs and patties - I'll provide the table. No you won't break it!

2007-03-10T21:00:00.000-06:00

M7 thoughts

We had this thing in Kanasas City a couple of weeks ago called M7. That stands for Mission 2007 and is part of what the Church of the Nazarene considers to be a missionally minded conference for pastors, church leaders and laity. I did a workshop at the conference called "Reaching Families and Children in Your Community." I suppose there were about 62 in the room for that hour. It was a neat experience since I have really not had such a privilege to do such a thing before.

My key thoughts included some thoughts from Don Miller on 13 paradigm shifts when reaching a pagan culture and some simple yet effective ways to impact families and children in your neighborhood. Athough it doesn't seem to 'emergent' or 'postmodern' my feeling is that 1) listening still works in building friendships, 2) no hint of judgement should exude from conversations, 3) when in doubt - go with grace, 4) a plate of cookies still works, 5) keep it real.

While at the conference all I could think about were my neighbors and how much I want them to discover a personal relationship with Jesus as I have. IN all the fanfare, what the conference boiled down to for me was how could I continue a healthy dialog with my neighbors so they might someday know the Christ. We don't the churches permission or blessing to reach our world for Christ. A greater commission has already been given. So, that is about how I feel on reaching a world for Jesus and M7.

Also, I have begun a new company that I'll tell you more about later. I'm excited at the potential though. Stay tuned...and remember...Jesus called us to make disciples not clones.

2006-10-28T19:32:00.000-05:00

Forgiveness

The greatest power on all the earth is not embodied in fundamental Islam, nor is it found in American capitalism, it is not found in the warhead of an Iranian or North Korean missile - the greatest power known to man can be found in each man who chooses to forgive as Jesus forgave us. The meekness and forgiveness of Pennsylvanian Amish is power, the woman I met this week who is mothering her child who was birthed from a rape incident embodies power in her forgiving spirit, the wife I live with who bears with me in daily living emodies power in forgiveness, and the child I love but sometimes punish for misbehavior, who still calls me daddy, embodies power in her forgiving and understanding voice.

I had an incident in my own life not so long ago that has left me on a journey to forgive. I am quite sure that this world more readily accepts Christ than they would a Christian. Could it be that in Christ we receive a forgveness in the measure that we would like to be forgiven by our fellow man and to forgive our fellow man? I was driving down the road from work Friday and finally sensed from the Father that I need to fully forgive and press forward. Two and one-half years later. Amazing isn't it? It has taken me two years and it did not even take Him two seconds! Thanks God for forgiving us with the full measure of your love. Help us as your kids to embody this forgiving quality. Amen.

2006-09-18T19:37:00.000-05:00

The Letter

Do you ever get into a situation with your kids where you know you've pretty much blown it? (That's retorical) Well, today I got into a jam and learned a valuable life and spiritual lesson with my girls. See, my girls have two cats (not my idea) and the deal was that with two cats my girls would have to be in charge of feeding the cats and changing the litter. Well, I went down to our laundry area to iron my shirt this morning and what do I feel under my feet? Nothing but litter sand! This is a huge pet peeve! (pun intended)

So, being the kindhearted dad I am (sarcasm) I write a note to the girls with the effect that they need to get down and clean up the cat mess, because I just cannot stand litter on my bare feet.

Act 2: I go to work and my wife calls with the news that the girls were so happy I'd left a note only to find out it was a note from an unhappy dad. I have to admit this was pretty out of character for me. I got to thinking about what would happen if my father had done that to me early in the morning. Then I got to thinking how uncharacteristic a note like that would be from my Father. He left this huge love note for me to read every morning and how would I feel if it was just full of stuff that said 'do this and do that, love Dad!?' Well, I probably would not read those notes anymore and I probably would second guess my Father's love for me.

Needless to say, we've all blown it big time with our kids somewhere along the way, or at least we've felt like we did. I must say that I learned a huge lesson and had to give a huge apology to my girls because the letter I left could have been my last - and I don't want to be remembered as the dad who barked out the orders on a piece of scratch paper, but as the dad with the awesome love notes that started his girls' day off right. From now on, no more to do lists early in the morning, I'll be content to share my love first and concerns later.

This lesson learned is just like Jesus. He leaves this love letter to remind us of His great love. It's not this huge to do list that makes us feel inadequate from the early morning hours to late at night. His is a letter of encouragement and blessing to go out and have a great day. Man, I have a long way to go......

2006-08-09T21:20:00.000-05:00

Zip it! And Live it!

One aspect of Christian living I am finding a deeper appreciation for in these days are the people who intersect my life who have simply chosen to zip and live it! You can call them authentic disciples, emergent, the real deal, whatever...the point is that as my life intersects these lives I am more prone in my own life to just zip it and live it! Now I know there are two things that need clarification here. One thing is the definition of "it." When I mean "it" I mean the life of Christian faith that authentically mirrors that of Jesus. A life of humility and power, a life of love and hope, a life of healing and friendship, a life of sacrifice and grace. These attributes are those most notable and identifiable to people in this world as the core tenants of who Jesus was and is. That's what I mean by "it." Not playing Christian games and calling people ungodly Christian names.

The second thing I've come to enjoy about the fresh movement of Christian faith - emergent - is that these folks are the real zip it and live it crowd. It's not so much that talking cool about Christianity is the thing to do, I think just living authentic Christianity is the thing in this crowd. And so, I'm all for emergent Christian faith if it means that by example I am shown that it's just about time we Christians just zip it and live it! That's all I gotta say.

Walk with me...

2006-08-07T13:20:00.000-05:00

A People of God...

This last week it was unfortunate that I took a bit of a detour from my Gutsy Faith reading because I had the privilege to "hit the road" and be at the Nazarene Black Ministries Conference in Dallas. I had a terrific time and learned to love the broader scope of my Nazarene family in a greater way than ever before. I walked away refreshed by people who are favored and highly blessed and challenged to see myself as such also. The preaching was out of this world as the afro-homiletic always inspires me to evaluate who I am in Christ, who I am in my community, and who I am in the Kingdom of God.

In some unique way this wonderful group of Nazarenes exemplify the gutsy faith ideal. Trusting God in the storms of life, trusting God for his 'yes', trusting God in His silence, trusting God in the struggles of home, community, and socio-economic challenges. Truly I can say I loved every minute of this conference and the people I met, hugged, prayed with and laughed with were a true delight and example of authentic faith and optimism that love, hope, and joy in Christ wins the day and the battle!

Thanks be to God!

2006-07-31T12:36:00.000-05:00

This Prayer Thing...

I'm in this book Gutsy Faith and reading about prayer and wow am I taking a good hard look at how much I pray and how I pray. The quantity factor is vital because Jesus modeled daily prayer with the Father and the quality factor is vital also because you gotta know what questions to ask and the motive by which to ask.

Well, along with Gutsy I chose to pick up Living the Lord's Prayer because of something Jeff said on page 77. The context is "did Jesus really mean mean it when He said that anything that is asked for in His name will be granted?"..."I believe Jesus meant exactly that...The issue at hand is knowing what exactly it means to ask for something in Jesus' name."

Now enter Living the Lord's Prayer.

Coming back to this foundational prayer is helping me see where Jeff is going with all this. Think about it..."Our Father...." That's saying #1 that He's in control right off the bat!

Well, invoking His name and His sovereign name is primary to the thought pattern of asking anything in His name. It also coincides with waht Jeff is saying on 77 that when we pray in a person's name we are really praying for the will of that person to be done not just trying to drop a name so we can get something. For instance if I say I need Royals tickets (yeah right!) in a luxury box or something then I would maybe drop a name of a person in the front office that might help me get what I want. What biblical perspective provides is the fact that this would never work in those days. A servant would never say the name of His master to procure something unless "the deal" was already done. SEE?

We pray in Jesus name only in a way that's in keeping with the nature and will of what Jesus desires. Not our desire.

Gutsy Faith may just be another book in the legions of books out there on what it means to understand the mysteries of God's ways, but then again it may be one of the few that helps it's readers truly evaluate in this "me" centered, self-centered quasi-Christian world what it means to truly pray in the Name of Jesus.

My question for you today is this...have you assessed your prayer life lately? Are you praying in ways that truly reflect how Jesus taught us or has your prayer life become stale and mundane and utilitarian?

2006-07-26T07:19:00.000-05:00

Consistant Conversation with the Father

Chapters 4-6 of Gutsy Faith

Jeff is treading on softer ground here with discussion on the Lord' Prayer and what this prayer means along with the Luke 11:1-13 passage. My challenge to you is to read this passage carefully because here we have Jesus teaching His disciples to pray and then following it with an example of contemporary need with a "banging of the door at midnight."

Remember that we must read this contextually. How normal would it be for someone to bang on your door in the middle of the night for BREAD!? The idea here is that we can come to the Father...I'll let you contemplate without my "play by play analysis."

So, as you read this chapter do you feel you have the right to ask God to reveal His will to you? If not, why?

Chapter 5 corresponds with Matthew 21:18-22. The whole moving the mountain and calling the fig tree barren scene helps us ponder whether we to can say to this mountain, literally, "be thou removed?" This whole talk to me seems to beyond the 'respectable.' I've contemplated deeply the yearning of some for respectable faith and logical faith. Through this passage I've asked God to unravel the respectability and sane notions of my faith and simply ask myself what would naked faith look like in order to truly believe if I say to that mountain 'be removed.'

Come on people - this is not kooky religion this is gutsy faith!!!!!

Finally, back to prayer in chapter 6.

Jeff lays it down and states that "we want to have guts, the faith for God to use us to move mountains. But if we don't develop our prayer life, it will never happen." I'm asking you and me - How 'bout the prayer life? Is it hot? Or is it not? Maybe you could take time to reevaluate your prayer priority with me - not so we can just get all God's yes', but to get all of God and Him all of us.

Walk with me...

2006-07-21T16:05:00.000-05:00

Where'd You Get Those Super Guts?

So, I'm in this group talking about gutsy faith and how you can make some decisions and then sorta realize that maybe those decisions in life we make as Christians really aren't as super holy as we'd like to think. Often times we do things in this faith walk scared yet we trust? It's a bit hard to put the bat on the ball, but in chapter 1 of gutsy faith Jeff is asking what it means to have gutsy faith. What do you think gutsy faith is? I think gutsy faith is the kind of faith that day in and day out consistantly trusts in the soverign nature and good will of God for my life (Jer. 29:11).

On page 12 Jeff even talks about gutsy faith as something you live out even in times of great distress and trial. You just gotta plow through cuz you know God really is in control. Who in your life resembles the kind of faith that is gutsy?

Chapter 2 - we are asked to read John 11:1-43. The big question of God's "yes" - "no" - or "maybe" answering system is the issue here. Jeff's sorta idea is that God does desire to say "yes" to our prayer requests all the time. No before you go beating your head against the wall and call for excommunication - I think we should give Jeff a listen.

I know the whole garden scene plays in your mind, but here are some thoughts.

1.Even though you may not be a parent think about this from a parent's perspective. I really do desire to say "yes" to all my children's requests, BUT...I say no or maybe later BECAUSE my role as parent is PROTECTOR and PROVIDER.

2. The other thought that my friend Jenn brought up is "what's so wrong with no?" Good one! All I can say is chapter 2 was a whopper!

Chapter 3 - we were asked to read Matthew 14:13-23. The premise here is that the Father alway gives Jesus what He asks for...

Issues like intimacy with the Father and understanding how and what to pray creep up here.

The final question now in this post is this...If God always answered Jesus' requests with a yes, do you think it's possible for Him to answer all your requests with a yes? Why or why not?

Yep, I told you this was a good book!!!!

Let me hear from you, and by the way, I'm not too sure about the 'yes to every prayer thing, but as a parent I can understand where Jeff might be headed. Walk with me...

2006-07-13T20:38:00.000-05:00

Do You Have Guts?!

It's time to step up to the blogging plate and write about something that really matters - faith! Gutsy, wrestling with tough issues, looking at the hard Gospel truth, faith.

For the next six or seven weeks, maybe more, me and some other known and unknown Christians are gathering around a table and a book to explore the topic of "gutsy faith." Now I could tell you what Gutsy Faith is, but then you won't tune in to the next blog, "same bat-blog URL" to find out. That's right! You are going on this journey with me and my bud Jeff who wrote this book and a bunch of other "walk by faith, not by site, don't know better Christians." I want to ask all whopping three of you to chime in on my blog thoughts as I move through chapter by chapter so we can really tackle the tough faith issues from God's Word and life in general.

A few words about Jeff. If you pick up this book you will soon see that Jeff is pretty much a "tell it like is" guy. Yet, my bud Jeff doesn't always speak his peace, he throws stuff out at ya to to help you think and ponder what it really means and what it really takes to be a Christ follower. Both traits are a good, good thing. Well, strap on your helmet because this should be a fun and hopefully bumpy ride!

2006-07-03T18:22:00.000-05:00

People do things...

A prof. in my masters classes once told us that people do things that make sense to them. Well people do ride motorcycles without helmets in the streets of Pittsburgh, people do take better care of pets than kids, people do max out credit cards and people do and say things in the church that are justified with what ever biblical content they choose. People do things that make sense to them and so this unwritten law of human nature has taken its course in my life this summer causing a brief amount of hardship. However, whether it's the odd ball decisions of others that effect me or my own briefly uncalculated actions I am so glad that even through actions that seem to make sense to us that we can go to Jesus and it is His ultimate supply of help and grace that keeps us steady and focused...even when dealing with the pain of the decisions of others whose actions make sense to them but cause great trial for you. I wish I could expound in detail, but after all this is the internet highway and once posted my words stand forever to be read by someone of whom I probably could offend.

Moral of the story, if a life decision or a small split second decision makes sense to you, you might consider thinking about the community at-large around you and how your choices might effect them. This would be good advice for all concerned.

2006-06-08T21:39:00.000-05:00

Transitions

Haven't blogged in a while because we moved. We found something we could buy close to where the kids go to school. (We had to request transfers the last two years from another school zone). We like our new place and hopefully we are settled for a good while. Kids are having a blast this summer! They are looking forward to VBS in a couple of weeks.

Transitioning can be hard and this one was not real easy by any stretch since it meant trying to sell another house in another state as a contingent to buy this place. However, once again, Jehovah-Jireh "our Provider" made a way. The house out of state has a buyer and it's just a matter now of crossing 't's' and dotting 'i's.' Very happy.

Catch up with you later.

2006-05-19T12:24:00.000-05:00

This Sorta Deep Thought

Lately I've been asking myself the question, "what would it take for me to accept Jesus as the Son of God and as my Savior, if I was not now a Christian?"

Well, first I have to say that I'm really not aware of any discussions or people groups dialoging on this question, it just stands to chance that it popped up in my head one day, and since then I really can't shake it. It (this question) makes me really take a hard look at what Jesus came to be and do and if 'the Church' and specifically myself, are living closely to His example.

Why? Because we are suppossed to be the reflection of Christ in this world, and if Christian believers are wrapped up in stuff, themselves, their needs, their wants, their worship whims, then 'Houston we do have a problem.' No way would I come to Jesus because a church sends me a card in the mail, or it seems like a good thing to go to church, but I might ponder His proposition if someone in my life lived in the power and principles of Christ each day in front of me. I might just inquire about the difference, and I might be curious about this amazing loving kindness that is exemplified in my friend.

I suppose from time to time Christians can be real jerks, disconcerned, self-promoting and arrogant. I hate to even say that...yikes, but I will say this, if I were not a believer it would only take ONE person, to just care, to just accept me, to just love me for who I am and all my falts as a reflection of Christ - it would only take one to show me a better way, and then, maybe then I would invite Jesus to do radical surgery in my heart and life.

Which leads me to this question. Will I be, will you be, just one person who could change a life and eternal destiny for someone today? Consider this and ponder this, it could mean a life with Christ forever. Maybe this one deep thought should take presidence over DaVinci hoopla and worship style hysteria...don't ya think?

2006-05-10T20:42:00.000-05:00

A Very Cool Church in the Family

My cousin and her husband pastor at
Deliverance Bible Church.

Very real, very authentic, very Jesus! I'm proud of them!

2006-04-28T12:20:00.000-05:00

The Simple Things in Life

Here's a bit of lunch time jabber!

Today is a good day. I got to car pool with a friend to work and save on my gas expenses! That's good. I talked to a few pastor types who like our company product The Quest. That's cool. I ate lunch with my buds at work today and discussed the history and unique trek of how humans have relieved themselve pre and post Thomas Crapper. That was interesting. I'm basking in the fun day I had yesterday when my eldest child got to come to work with me for "Bring Your Child to work Day." That was a blast. She's so cool to hang around. Today I'm jumping out of my white collar boat to help some of my good buds in distribution since they are short some personnel. That's pretty fun cuz Rosie is trying to sell me some herbal drink that will make me really healthy and all that. She's intersting. Dude! It's Friday and what more can I say? It's just a down right good day so far!

Ya know? It's the simple things in life and good friends and buds that make this day so cool and to top it all off - I live in the peace, freedom, and security, yes I said security, that I am forgiven and I'm in the center of God's will for my life. Well folks, a loving wife, three cool kids, a supportive family, a terrific job, and all that, just make for a really FANTASTIC FRIDAY! Hope Monday can be this cool.

Hey, stop and smell the roses!

2006-04-24T20:10:00.000-05:00

The Lost

"The lost" are not just a mass of people 'out there' without a faces, without names. They are my uncles, my aunts, my in-laws, my friends, my co-worker, my fellow churchman, my fellow American in New Orleans, my waiter...my neighbor. "The lost" are the people I interact with every day who smoke, who drink, who get kicked out of their duplex, who can't pay their rent, who sleep around and who reject the church as we know it. These are "the lost" and although I work in the very wonderful world of Christian publishing by day, tonight my heart is broken because "the lost" are those children in my neighborhood who were carried away in a 'paddy wagon' tonight because their dad's in jail, their mom can't make rent, and the house is falling down around them. They are the ones who play in my back yard, play make believe with my kids, and attend Thursday night Bible club and listen so well to the stories of God's love for them. Yes, "the lost" have names and tonight I speak these names to the Father by name precisley because they are...my friends...not just "the lost."

2006-04-16T09:10:00.000-05:00

This sums up the victory that is ours for those who have been forgiven by His shed blood and continue to walk in His way.

Jesus is alive = HOPE!

2006-04-15T13:23:00.000-05:00

I don't think so!

Read the end of The Book!

2006-04-14T10:36:00.000-05:00

I Just Can't Stop Thinking About It!

I know ya'll probably think that I think about the Bible or spiritual stuff all the time, however being that this is Good Friday I guess my mind is just bent to the fact today of God's covenant nature towards His people in the Old and New Testament. I just cannot get it off my mind how good God was to Abraham, Jacob, Joseph, David, and Moses especially even though he only got to see into the Promised Land. Then, my mind wonders to the NEW Covenenant in Christ and WOW it's like it all just make sense - God's loves me, He loves people. He loves us so much He poured and continues to pour out His love our way even when we were still lost and rebellious against Him.

Well, I just can't stop thinking of His great love. He is truly the only God full of mercy and grace.

In other news, this Lenten season I've picked up on a cool radio station that I have often visited but am visiting more and more in these days because of great music and preaching. If you can listen to Gospel 1590 AM Kansas City in the mornings and afternoons you should. I like the preaching in the afternoon drive home because it recenters my heart on the Lord and because the black homiletic is more to my liking than the Europeon homiletic I mostly hear. That's right you heard me!

My friend Jeff Edmondson wrote recently a very good article in his blog about story homiletic
and how preachers should get off the preaching path of point sermons and focus on story and narrative. Gospel 1590 helps me hear narrative and participatory preaching that in my white world really does not happen. I think more white preachers should preach less structurally and more narritively and see what freedom they can truly find in the pulpit as they give it a shot. Any way Jeff had a good point.

Well, I'm off tonight to my friend Dan's church for Good Friday service. My buds from the House are helping with worship. It should be a great time of reflection and being with the Body.

He is near! Dt. 30:14

2006-04-11T17:23:00.000-05:00

Holy Week Thought

My Holy Week thought for today actually comes from an O.T. passage in Deuteronomy 30:1-14. There's a lot going on in this passage, but to cut to the chase it's verse 14 that really spoke to me recently. God is saying to His people that His word is near them (He is near them) and it is on their tongues and in their hearts so they should just do it.

I don't have words adequate enough to describe what that means to me in these days, but I do know that if it were not for the cross and empty tomb that the New Testament equivalent of this promise would essentially be no good! There would be no new covenant if not for Easter. The old covenant, as uplifting as it is, would only leave us in a state of continued searching for freedom in a state of law abiding and promises kept and broken. But, with the N.T. promise comes a nearness to God that elevates Dt. 30:14 to a whole new level!

Now the new covenant allows for the Word to be near us in a way unlike that of Dt. 30. Indeed The Word is near, on our tongue and in our hearts! Wow!

2006-04-04T20:39:00.000-05:00

Glorious Night

The family and I went for our first spring bike ride tonight after work. Sometimes it's just nice to go home and be free to do nothing or just hang out with the fam without having to run to this or that. If I think about it I've done enough funerals to recall that it's at those moments that I always reflect on the fact that family time is what I cherish the most. So, instead of waiting for some funeral to come along and remind me of what my priorities are, I just spend time with them!

After the bike ride was a trip to Fazolis for $.99 kid meal night! Then home for much needed baths and showers. All in all a great night!

Lately, I've been doing a bunch of traveling for work and to be honest I'm a bit tuckered out, but atleast I have an understanding wife and all. Well, this weekend should be fun as I'm officiating a wedding of a young lady I had in my youth group when I was a youth pastor back in the days when I was fazing out of my mullet! The mullet was scary, but the youth in my group were awesome.

Well, if you read this blog please excuse my extremely boring life, but compared to most folks and their lives I'd rather have it be a bit more laid back and boring than eventful and psychotic!

Peace and grace.

2006-03-08T20:48:00.000-06:00

The Norm

NASCAR crew chiefs who "fudge" the rules to gain an "edge."
Bonds doping!
U.S. Olympic athletes underachieving!
Kobe - need I say more.

Selfishness, cheating, and so on in American sports.
I'm sick of it.

Where are the honest, purely team players at??
You tell me. 'Cause I'm a lifer sports nut, but boy oh boy, this "meism" and doping is getting old!

Sports hasn't become a leisure event to lead us from social calamity for a brief period it is now part of social calamity. Where can a purist go?

2006-03-07T19:58:00.000-06:00

Barry Bonds may have used steroids! No way?!!

2006-03-06T20:47:00.000-06:00

It's a Big Deal

My eldest daughter has never really been big into sports but tonight she gave swimming a try and I'm real proud of her! It's a big deal for her to give this a shot considering her younger sister, our middle child, is REAL big into sports...like nuts about softball and running and whatever. Well, I was just real happy to see my girl excited about something she really enjoys and something that allows us to be together as well. Well, she did real well and it looks like this might be something she can continue with. I suppose lots of folks wouldn't really think this is a big deal...but for me and my first born it was one of the best 6-7pm time slots we've evr shared! I guess that makes it a pretty big deal.

There's a lot of big deal stuff going on in this world like watching Iran's uranium consumption, the Hillary Presidential watch, catching terrorists, the sky high price of gas, new U.S. Justices, and all the rest, but for this dad tonight, just hanging out with my kid was about the biggest deal going.

Yep, what may be a big deal to some is not to others, but that's OK because in the case of our kids everyday with them is a big deal because they are so special.

That's all for the mushy stuff!

2006-02-28T14:47:00.000-06:00

I Don't Get It!

I don't get why Bush wants a private middle eastern company to be in charge of U.S. goods in foreign ports??!! I don't get why Buck O'Neil was not inducted into the Hall of Fame. I don't get why it's eighty degrees in K.C.! But I'll take it. I don't get why Jesus died for me? Well, then again, maybe I do. He died for me so I could live this great life I now live and live an even greater one with Him in His house some day. I don't get why some people can't get that?

2006-02-21T17:53:00.000-06:00

Who Do You Say I Am?

All last week through Sunday and even through this week I've been thinking of the passage on Mark 8:27-9:1 in the Bible. This is the passage is the turning point for Peter and Jesus' disciples. On their walk north from Capernaum to Caesarea Phillipi Jesus turns to his disciples and asks Peter who people say he is. Peter in all his brashness declares that Jesus is the Christ the Messiah. Well, Jesus continues to describe what will happen to him as Messiah and Peter compares this to his agenda for the Messiah and these two agendas don't mix well.

What's my point? I won't labor long, but suffice it to say even 'goin' to church folk' like me often get wrapped up in personal agendas and expect OUR Messiah to do what we want. Ooops! I'm sorry, says Jesus, I have my own agenda and it looks nothing like yours.

Who do I say Jesus is? Well in the good times according to my agenda He's the Messiah. In the bad times, dark times, then who is he? Well, I guess He's the Messiah. It's a bit hard to accept this agenda seeing as I'd like to know the future and all, but He's the Messiah not me and so this means a cross for me too!

I've been thinking about this. What about you? What's your agenda?

Peace

2006-02-08T11:38:00.000-06:00

Jesus and Taxes

Jesus did say render to Caesar what is Caesar's, but I do have to confess that itemized deductions are a wonderful thing! For all those out there waiting till the final second to do your taxes I can sympathize. It isn't the funnest thing in the world to do, but some of the software out there is very helpful. Well, I'm wrapping mine up tonight and sending it down the fiberoptic highway. Hope you'll take time to belly up with the taxes sooner than later. It takes a lot of stress out of your life and while your doing them remember Who's in your heart.

2006-02-06T12:47:00.000-06:00

The Church I Attend

Followers of Jesus most typically have strong feelings about the church they attend. These strong feelings can run from great satisfaction to strong disappointment depending on...who the pastor is...what he/she preaches...how he/she preaches...if the coffee was too strong...if the A/C was cranked too high or the the heat too low...if there were more choruses than hymns...if the Sunday School teacher was boring...blah, blah, blah.

My point is this. If we keep our focus on this...

then maybe a few followers could just zip it and quit fussin' and be about the work of the Father and showing the world what it truly means to walk a humble obedient life before God! We are utilitarian at our core, but when the Holy Spirit enters in, our core becomes transformed into His likeness and the knit-picking of the church should decrease as we pray about the church and His increase. I know your response will be that it should be OK to express concern, and I agree, but when this concern turns into a bad attitude locomotive...this is not what Paul contended for when he said he wanted to know Christ. So, all you whiney, fussy, can't have it my way believers out there...get off it and get into Him. Your church and His purpose does not need your cancer. This is how I feel about the church I attend.

2006-01-31T20:32:00.000-06:00

End of the Month Activities

The end of the month has come and tomorrow begins a new one!

I like February 'cause I love my sweety! I'll be married to her 13 years this may and February is the time of year we celebrate our first date, her birthday and Valentines. Plus, February marks the one year anniversary of the ministry role I currently serve in. So, lots of good stuff coming up. I'm also looking forward to getting my taxes done (weird I know) but I usually get an OK return and well to be honest, I need to pay some off on the new washer and dryer set that replaced the old one after 12 years. I'm so glad I'm replacing this unit and not the wife unit! No replacing her! OK! OK! I'll stop it with the love stuff.

Hey, I'm going 33-31 Steelers over the Seahawks this weekend. Should be a good game!

What's your prediction?

2006-01-25T20:31:00.000-06:00

Captain Kirk Donates Kidney Stone...
William Shatner handed over his calcium specimen in January, 2006, after he accepted an offer from the CEO of GOLDEN PALACE casino, a Canadian-based online betting site, to buy his kidney stone.

Initially, Shatner was offered $15,000, but after a little negotiation a deal to sell the stone was made for $25,000. Taking things into perspective, Shatner had earlier received over $100,000 for his STAR TREK-related garment, so the price seemed to be in order for his celebrityhood.

The auction price included the surgical stint and string used to permit passage of the stone. The bizarre deal was brokered by Darren Julien, president of Los Angeles-based Julien's Auctions.

However, there were two conditions to the sale. First, all the proceeds (100 percent) were to benefit HABITAT FOR HUMANITY to build a house. And the second condition? Shatner retained visitation rights to his now famous body part.

After the purchase, Golden Palace, CEO Richard Rowe jokingly eluded to the opening lines of the STAR TREK series by saying "This is a 'bold' new addition to our fleet."

What a terrific example of homeland philanthropy! We've gone where no man has gone before and we get visitation rights to calcium deposits! I wonder how many times Shatner will visit his $25,000 stone?

In other "news" our company computer server went out for about four hours today! It was a freaky thing to think about how dependent we are on computers and how my buds in the art department were probably playing cards or shooting paper hoops! Joke, joke! They would never play cards at work or wear grass skirts or anything like that at work!

Anyhow, it was an interesting day of submission to technological blips on the radar screen of life. The IS guys did a bang up job getting us back online. Kuddos guys!!!

Well, the wife has been out shopping and dining with my mom tonight (yikes) so I need to tuck the kids in bed! I like it though when she gets some time away, even if it is for just one evening. She deserves it! Finally, I'm reading After Virtue by Alastair Macyntre. I'll keep you posted.

Until the next piece of breaking Treky news...

2006-01-20T12:12:00.000-06:00

Kids Club

Headed out to see End of the Spear tonight. Should be good. Taking my wife and some friends and a boat load of Kleenex! Go to www.endofthespear.com for more info. on this solid movie.

Hey another pitch here. My buddy Dave the carpet cleaner does a bang up job. Check out www.newbeginningscarpetcleaning.com for more information. Good rates and he does both residence and commercial cleaning. Dave's a stand up guy and he'll do any office, church or home on a very professional level. If you use him tell him Matt sent ya!

Had a great time at our weekly kids Bible club meeting. We're learning the names of the disciples right now and how to pray and we're singing some good songs too. We had four new kids last night so that's a God thing. I love kids club as much as my kids do. It's probably because it's not at a church building and yet it's the essence of Matthew 28:19. Well, that's all folks.

catch ya later

2006-01-18T16:23:00.000-06:00

Good Reads

I'm towards the end of The Story We Find Ourselves In by Brian McLAren. I've got about two more chapters. I won't pull any punches. I like this book. I like the 'otherness' of Neo, the questioning of Kerry, the theological sunrise in Carol and the sense of discovery in Dan. I had lunch today with a guy today who's name is Dan. He pastors a pretty wonderful church in Lees Summit, Missouri. Dan is the kind of guy you feel like you've known all your life. His life is one marked by choices in "the world" and now choices as a pastor. I'm so glad he is a follower of Jesus and for HOW he points other to Jesus.

Another good read is Pat Lencioni's The Four Obsessions of An Extraordinary Executive. I really liked that one too.

I like to hear my daughter read from the Gospel of Matthew in these days during our family devotions. yeah, you heard it - family devotions. She's been reading through Matthew 8,9,10 these last couple of nights. I'm so glad she likes the Bible.

Well gotta split. By the way Pat Robertson is dead wrong on his Sharon remarks!!!

2006-01-16T12:00:00.000-06:00

The Latest

My friend Greg preached last night (yes we still have evening worship) at our church on the Holy Trinity. Greg did a great job exegeting the icons of the faith and how they play into our biblical understanding of Christian teaching of the Trinity. Greg had the interseting assignment of exegeting images in a "word" laden and "word" centered crowd. So he did a bang up job presenting a practical, sacramental and historical theological perspective of a very hard subject.

Props to Greg! In other news my daughter just turned nine and my son is turning six. This has caused me to turn over a new "get in shape" leaf. I'm not huge or anything, just terribly out of shape. So, last week I go to the church to play pick up ball with what I think is the 35 and over crowd and I get there only to find that it's a bee hive of college kids! So, I say to myself "I'm just here to lower my cholesterol, BP, and a little of the Michelon tire! Nothing more or less. Well, I play a full game and I'm gone! Not to mention someone yells out that "we're skins!" So, I gaspng for air, drudging down the court with more hair on my body than I care to reveal all the while these college kids are spinning, slicing and dicing there way through my D!

I felt better about it Sunday when I asked some former studs from my youth group days if they still play and ball, and they were like, NO! So, I felt better about atleast trying to play ball. I may go back tonight or I may just stay with playing ping pong with my buds at work over lunch break!

Well, that's my new year post so far. None of my NFL teams went anywhere! Texas wins it all so that stinks and so not too much hype for me in the sports world. Oh yeah big time kuddos to my co-worker Jeff Edmondson for his blog. I'm so glad he calls it straight.

2005-12-27T20:53:00.000-06:00

Good Times with Family

It's been somewhat of a challenge for me when I take a few days of vacation to truly put the deadlines and "things-to-do at work" list on the back burner. However, the Lord has been good in that I have a career that now allows me to do just that with some ease. So, I guess what I'm driving at is that it has been good to be with family and give THEM and the Lord my devoted attention. Along with good visits with family I battled my daughter and brother-in-law in that time tested game of Twister. I've also managed to come in second place in Train Wreck Dominos - I know you are impressed, and generally haul in a couple loads of back laundry, begin to paint my daughters room and other odd jobs. In fact, I just orderd a new heating element for my dryer (of which I've had twelve years). I'm trying to ward off a new laundry unit for a couple months if possible.

All that I'm sure sounds less romantic than say...going to NYC or Orlando or something. Yet, I find that in doing the mundane and just being with my family that I am perfectly satisfied. I'm sure Tony Dungy would give anything to be with his son James doing something boring like playing Dominos. So, I've relished these slower days and tried to practice the art and discipline of simply hangin' out with family. Good thing I love 'em so much and they love me!

By the way, I'm almost finished with Blue Like Jazz. Such a fun and really thought provoking book.

2005-12-27T20:40:00.000-06:00

2005-12-22T19:31:00.000-06:00

Thoughts of a Traveler During Advent

I'm a bit of a "Johnny-come-lately" I know, but in reading Donald Miller's Blue Like Jazz I find myself thinking a few of the same thoughts I did when I read New Kind of Christian by Brian McLaren. The thoughts of these men really do resonate and make sense to me. I wouldn't say I'm doing a 180 from all I've ever known of the structure of my Christian faith and now am soaring head long into emergent church thought, yet! the writings of these men have awakened in me a hunger for the "other" of God. Probably no different than Rudolf Otto or Bruegemann have done in me. Blue Like Jazz has helped me to see faith and church and grace and love in a very refreshing light. In fact the frankness of Miller is very, very refreshing. I know as a member of Gen. X it would seem I would like to continue in the sameness of some Christian praxis that has been handed down by a majority boomer generation, but in the case of Miller's thoughts I could honestly say that at times I wished I was a Millennial. I say that only to say that post-1980 kids grew up with a certain ability to identify authenticity and in some regards live authenticity. This is what I hunger for in my own faith circle at times. Well, Blue Like Jazz helps me, us, see that paradigms are meant to shift. Do I conclude the ways of the elders are wrong or misguided? No, but think if you will, on what it could mean to our faith and churches if we all came clean as Miller seems to be doing in Blue Like Jazz. Maybe the byproduct is a spiritual movement by which even the likes of a Joel Osteen would be amazed.

Finally, this Advent means to me the application of grace, peace, mercy, joy and love to my family and friends (yep enemies too) in even greater measure because even though I'm ughhh...hmm..30...hmmnn...huhggh 5! I have lived long enough to know that it truly is peace that rules out, it is love that reigns strong and it is mercy that needs to be shown...the shema in flesh, this is the Advent message to me.

As Mary, be thou unto me O Lord as You have said. Merry Christmas to all 4 of my readers.

2005-12-14T17:34:00.000-06:00

Just Sorta Livin' Life

Lately I've sorta been livin' life to the max! At work I've been coordinating an effort to produce a promotional video for a product called The Quest. You can go to www.onthequest.org to learn more. So, with folks flying in to film and entertaining them and all, plus other items like preparing for future business trips have kept me busy.

Also, my terrific wife and I have been busy raising our kids and a few other kiddos in the neighborhood. Long story, but God has been kind to trust us with their occassional care. Then there's homework, baths, reading, devotional time, all that good stuff each evening. A couple of my friends are first time parents in these days and I'm excited to hear their stories of beginning parent adventures. Our parenting adventure is at a good stage with K-4 graders. Good times, but busy.

Christmas takes on new and fresh meaning for me this year. I wish I could say more now, but dinner calls so I'll blog it later.

Finally, I am thankful this year for the beautiful family I have and great work environment. My employer has been very gracious in Christmas time benefits and if any of those guys from the House are reading this you know we are blessed!

Pretty boring stuff I know but just livin' life right now is simply real good! Do you ever get that feeling?

2005-11-18T14:12:00.000-06:00

Home Sick

I'm home today feeling pretty sick, but I think I'm on the mend. Other than not feeling so great, what have I been up to? Glad you asked. Recently I had the privilege of hearing author and pastor Brian McLaren speak. His views and writings are deep and positively enlightning as well as positively disturbing. His thoughts cause me to see that the Christian message is a timeless one, but appropriating this same message will take on a different look, especially among the Millenial generation. Currently I'm reading The Story We Find Ourselves In by McLaren. Very good read. I'm not an emergent/post-modern church authoritarian so I won't pretend to be eloquent with my responses, but I will say that for the most part McLaren's writings are as liberating as I've read in a long time.

Other Thoughts:
The bombings in Jordan and Iraq are still disturbing.
I like gas prices going down!
Donuts are pretty much bad for you!
The fam and I are heading to St. Paul for Thanksgiving. It'll be cold but it'll be good to kick around with family.
My dad turned 59 last week.
No doubt, I'm going to see The Chronicles of Narnia when it releases. I can't wait.
Work is going well. I'm the editor of a publication called Communicator. This piece is a free resource piece to Nazarene pastors in USA/Canada. So, I guess that's a 'big deal' sorta thing. I'm looking forward to the challenge. I've always loved to write, even though I haven't blogged lately.

Final thought: I'm amazed by God's love for me and the reality of living with Him forever. That He never stops loving me, even if I should sin. I'm amazed His Spirit resides in me and that He pretty much gave me one awesome wife and three of the best kids that a guy could want!

Grace to You.

2005-11-06T20:34:00.000-06:00

In A Hurting World, Love Begins in a Neighborhood

In a hurting world, love begins in a neighborhood where a mom can't pay a water bill and a neighbor pinch hits. In a hurting world, love steps in where kids need bicycles and your kids give them theirs. In a hurting world, love steps in and encourages a mutual fund broker that he is and does make a difference in the lives of so many. In a hurting world, love steps in and moves a single women and three kids from a home to a duplex after the husband runs out. In a hurting world, Love and Grace are shown to people who differ with you and even wrong you with great intention. In a hurting world, love steps in and is the reflection of Love in the Name of Love, beyond the walls and santions of the Church. Why, because in a hurting world it will not be the

neat and tidy Church that changes the lives of the hurting for Christ's sake, it will be the broken and humble recipients of Grace who in their neighborhood reach out and touch in His name.

Hurricanes, tornados, tidal waves and fires, divorce, drugs, neglect and loss. In a hurting world, love begins and is fleshed out in a neighborhood and I'm so glad God put me in a neighborhood that I can show His love in tangible ways each day and make a difference in so many lives. As Paul, if I boast I boast of this only that Christ may be high and lifted up.

In a hurting world, all theology, all doctrine, all self-desire must be pushed to the back and the true essance of love must rise to the top in all we say and do as Christians. This is not the conquering plan of hopeful Jews over an opressive Rome, this is the example of Jesus. I pray He helps me be love in my corner of a hurting world.

2005-10-27T21:48:00.000-05:00

The Big Stink

Much has been said of reaching back to orthodox faith and tradition among "emergent" churches and believers. Outcry among bloggers has been for orthodoxy, genuine simple faith, a real faith expelling programs in part or all together in churches and 'gettin' real.' Well, while I really kind of like what I'm hearing, and really do resonate with these voices of passion and seekers of truth, I wonder just how new all this emergent, orthodox, 'give me the Real deal Jesus' talk really is. I know Gen. Y is in search for simple Gospel truth with few bells and whistles like Boomers seem to like. I know Gen. X shares the same passion, but is often mischaracterized as the "selfish" generation. I know all that. I'm just wondering what's the big stink? Why is this trend so novel?

Is it any more novel than what is reflected in the life and days of Bonhoeffer? He seemed pretty emergent to me. Is what we are experiencing as a North American church any more novel than what's taking place in the underground Church of say....China? What's the key issue here? The key issue is that more and more folks are just tired of religious games and religious hoops! My Gen. Y friends are just not putting up with it anymore and so, I think the big stink is that our traditional measurments for how "church" is done and how "church" is defined are now askew.

Seems to me this new generation is fine to leave that for the old heads to figure out. There's just one problem with that. Bonhoeffer's analysis of Christian community in Life Together makes sure to state that community is only community when Christ and Christ only is the centerpiece of that community. Emergent...postmodern..ultra-orthodox with iconography splattered everywhere - it does not matter if Christ is not the center of the faith community. It all is for not if we do not love God and love each other as Christ Jesus showed and taught us. So, emergent folks beware, your not as fresh and keen as you may think if you have not Love and do not show this love to your brother. But don't take this as my word - check out the 1944 emergent by the name of Dietrich Bonhoeffer.

Thanks for reading this blog. Hope you know the above thoughts are from a Gen. Xer who's worship and Christian praxis is heavily influenced by the Boomer generation but is heavily in cohoots with the Gen. Y understanding of genuine faith and is just trying to iron it all out.

Grace to You-

2005-10-22T19:21:00.000-05:00

Beyond Religion

Cleetus and his wife Nicole (my first cousin) pastor a church in Dallas
called Deliverance Bible Church.
The link below is a video clip that featured on the Dallas Star-Telegram recently.
I'm very proud of both Cleetus and Nicole. They are reaching the "least of these" in fine non-religious fashion.
In other words their praise, devotion, service, and heart life are not about the structure of religion, but rather their lives are a testiment of Paul's encouragement for us to become all things to all men.

If Cleetus ever reads this I hope he knows he's in my thoughts and prayers. We would all do well to follow our Lord with such fervor.

http://www.star-telegram.com/mld/interactivemedia/desperate/desperate.html#movie

2005-10-20T12:48:00.000-05:00

Struggling Congregations

While big congregations getting bigger may seem to get the lion's share of media and denominational attention what can we say about smaller congregations getting smaller and even dying?

First, the notion that everything has a lifespan. Everything here on earth eventually dies. This includes churches. Is this to say that this pleases the Lord. Probably not, because I believe the Lord did say at somepoint that he would build His church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it. Yet, some churches do die because they 1) are in a small town and the major employer in town pulls out, 2) contain people in them that are too ingrown and inbred to reach out, give up their personal power structure and give life to the church. I think that a church may die 3) because they live in the shadow of a megachurch and "can't compete, or 4) the pastor fails morally and that sends folks packing, or 5) the Message declared is not a message of hope, power and love to a needy people, 6) folks are not investing themselves in a younger generation ("we don't want red juice on our carpets!) and on and on...modernity vs. post-modernity paradigm shifts...yada, yada, yada.

So, what's the solution? A church should never adopt a "give up" mentality if at all possible. Maybe a company pulls out of town? Well, that's a toughy, but all things being equal some churches die by self-inflicted wounds! What!? That's right. Folks are not lovin' eachother and so who wants to be a part of that? This is a tough one too! Oh yeah, I was on the solution track.

Well, it seems some solution can be found in leadership - the pastor. Some of the solution is found in imagination and creativity to try new ways of declaring and sharing God's love..."but we've never done it that way before." I know. Some death prevention comes as folks rethink methodolgy in education, worship and community.

Final thought. Maybe a church is small in size but very alive! Maybe a church is large in numbers and very dead. Congregational size does not always mean a church should die, especially when many congregations who seem alive and well are very much dead. Chew on that for a while.

2005-10-13T13:02:00.000-05:00

The Power of Relationship

It's so easy to be a seclusionist in today's world. Just get yourself lost in the shuffle. It's really rather simple if you really aimed at it. Yet, as a follower of Jesus I am asked to go into the world and be relational - reflect Him. Jesus really had something when He came to earth and from inside the womb of Mary related to His cousin John in his mother's womb.

He is saying to us at that point that if we are to be change agents for good in this world it will require the risk of getting out into it and relating to others. Well, for some the risk is great, for some moderate for some non-exisistant. For me I am beginning again, after a pretty tough life blow, to understand and appropriate relationship. What is the prime need of humans? To love and be loved. This involves relationship, listening, hearing, empathy and sympathy, walking in someone elses shoes.

Which is easier to say to a world of people that need to know someone cares - come let's visit a while or get over it that's life? I think if we see Christianity as relgion and church as a place for religious people the world will shun Christ as it has for hundreds of years. Many church folk who consider themselves religious they have become relational assasin's strapping relational time bombs to themselves every time they go to church. It's all about the function for them, without any relational substance. They just blow up everything with their negative, crappy, self-centered selves hindering the power of God in the life of a church.

Yet, for some, who follow the path of Christ, people see a clear vision of Christ only through the relational, authentic, genuine way they live out Christ's teachings and lifestyle. I don't aim to simply be a functional believer. That wreaks. What I want to be is in relation to God and in relation to man so that this world and the next might know what love is - in that I have loved and related in a positive way to my neighbor.

2005-10-09T07:31:00.000-05:00

Psalm 51

It's Psalm 51 that I wrestle with this morning. Not so much in the same way David did, but in a way that all the world seems to be tugging at me and my affections and my single focus then becomes many and purity and cleansing become muddied in the stuff of life. Yet, it is the will of the enemy that this happen. He knows Matthew 5:8 is God's absolute and final word that all those who are pure in heart will see God.

Psalm 51 simply speaks of the grace we all stand in need of. We need God's mercy, His cleansing, His purging, His power to blot out sin and iniquity. We need Him to create in us a new an clean heart daily, sweep away the filth of this world and its affections and plant within an increased awareness of himself. Purging with hyssop was the ceremony while the washing of snow was the sacred act. I desire more than ceremony and superficialities, I desire on my knees O Lord this one thing - do not take your Holy Spirit from me, nor cast me away from your presence, but renew this day a steadfast spirit within me. A spirit that is not alays so inclined to steadfastness and singleness of mind and heart.

No guilt trips here, just a reminder that we daily can and need God's cleansing in this world we currently reside.

2005-10-05T12:25:00.000-05:00

Ther'e just no way to get around these words. Providing you believe Jesus Christ is the Son of God born of the virgin Mary and suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and raised from the dead on the third day - there's just no getting around these words.

"A new commandment I give to you, that you should love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."
John 13:34-35.

In a world bent on hate, where guys just walk around with bombs strapped to them in hopes of Allah's eternal reward, and in a world where sticks and stones may not break bones but name calling really hurts, in a world where some come to Sunday worship and sing "it's all about You Jesus" but inside it's really all about them, these words from Jesus really press in on a person.

I've been in church all my life. I've been to church houses where this great love of God was truly manifested and the commandment in John's gospel lived out in tender reality. Then I've been among some of God's people who, although they think they know and show this love, man o man, I have a hard time seeing it. You may say that's judging, and perhaps it is, but if we are to be known by the love we have for one another and do not change the pattern of "it's all about me" in our houses of worship and in our hearts, then let the judging begin within.

The Deep Prayer
So, Lord, help us embrace your love, love ourselves for who you've made us to be, and help us to reflect this genuine love to others so that a critical, cynical, hateful, and doubtful world may see You. Amen

2005-10-01T17:42:00.000-05:00

He Still Moves

Tonight I'm at Grove City Church of the Nazarene in Grove City, Ohio. They just finished baptizing about, like, 16 people. Brand new Christians most of them! Lots of bikers here tonight. Spreading the Good News to bikers. This ministry is called Leave a Mark. This Saturday night service started two years ago and they've seen 476 people born-again! 134 total services and 104 of those nights people have come to know Christ. Average attendance is over 790 on Saturday night!

I gotta tell ya, God is on these folks and in this place. Satisfied? No, these Christians continue to press on in trying to win people who are without Christ. What a blessing to have been in this place this weekend. So many set free through this ministry, through this congregation.

Praise the Holy name of Jesus!!! He still sets people totally free!

Jesus said, "Go into all the world, preaching, teaching, baptizing in my name." And "lo I am with you always, even to the end of the age."

Oh yeah!

2005-09-30T22:33:00.000-05:00

A Displaced People

Jesus said, "I will not leave you like orphans; I will come to you." John 14:18

This early American Depression Era picture may indicate how many folks in the south, really folks all over, may feel about their state in life. Look at her face! Look at her kids! There is no perceived hope in this picture at all, and yet Jesus promises himself. He doesn't promise absence of hardship, only His presence through the trial. The big question for this mother and for many mothers is "what are we gonna do?" "How do we begin again? Faith in Christ as the One who knows our need is really all many have right now.

Look at this picture one more time. What can I do, what can we do, to help folks like these in affirmation of an everpresent Help and the compassion of fellow man? That's the question we who are looking on must ask. That's the question we must ask each day in our every day world with people whom we work and play with who inside feel like this momma, but seem to have it all "together."

Just a reminder of Christ's faithfulness and a probe into your heart to be sensitive to hurting people wherever they may be.

2005-09-28T16:58:00.000-05:00

M*A*S*H 4077th

Maybe with a close run with the Carol Burnett Show this was the best modern classic. Whether you prefer Lt. Col. Blake or Col. Sherman Potter this classic brought us many laughs admidst the toughest scenerio of war.

The Korean conflict was no laughing matter. Lives were lost on many fronts. What MASH did was expose the viewer to the tragedy of men and women in wartime circumstances. We got to see real people evolve through the high and hilarious emotion on MASH. Every character had to work through their strengths and weaknesses to make it through the conflict. There's just not enough you can say about this one. The finale is still a tear jerker!

Classics include "Hotlips" and "Hawkeye" on assignment to a front medact station and getting shelled all along the way and through the make shift surgery. They were exhausted and through it all built a genuine authentic respect for each other apart from all the gigs they usually gave each other. Then there's the constant jokes on Frank Burns, the innocent "Radar" and the nut case "Klinger."
"B.J. Honeycut" added so much to each show as well. Wow something like MASH is a treasure show for sure, no doubt about it. What do you think?

2005-09-27T19:27:00.000-05:00

Then There's This Classic

This, along with the episode where Lucy makes a fake nose to throw off William Holden so he won't recognize her - those two I Love Lucy's are so classic. Yeah, there's a whole lot more that could be tossed in, but who has time!

Now whata we got? You tell me? Seinfeld? Gone! Friends? Come on! Reality shows. Yeah right. Classic TV ain't what it used to be that's for sure. I think we've probably even exhausted the Cop/Murder Mystery shows. Maybe I'm just old, but I sure miss the days of decent TV. I was even telling a friend the other day how classic it was when Bill Bixby used to say, "you wouldn't like it when I'm angry." And then he'd turn into THE INCREDIBLE HULK! Oh yeah, that was a classic.

I'll write something more substinative later.

2005-09-26T20:04:00.000-05:00

Grace is the Embodiment of Holiness

With so many conceptions and misconceptions about holiness, holy living, the preaching of a holy God, it has really boiled down to two very simple ideas of what holiness entails. To live a holy life entails both grace and love. Grace given to me by God and grace I show others. Love shown to me by sending His Son and love, unconditional love, I show others. These two things flesh out in the way I work, the way I treat my wife and kids, the way I respond to negative criticism and hateful talk towards me, and the way I serve my fellow man.

The flow of grace extends from resting in grace - I Peter 1:13, "rest your hope fully on the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Now, without sounding pious, I KNOW I have not always extended the love or grace of our Lord as I could of in some past situations of my life. And I know grace and love was often not shown to me in the past from family members and those I pastored. (OK now you know).

At any rate, I've learned the true marks of holy living are not of any merit of our own but by grace, Ephesians 2:8-9. I once had a pastor friend in Arkansas who taught me the value of extending grace. He showed me that all we are, have, and ever hope to be is by grace, and if it were not for grace where would I, or any of us be?

See this great book below for a good read on holiness in an every day sort of way. It helps me see holiness as love in action rather than legalism, which may be how most of us see it.

Relational Holiness offers insight and evidence for understanding the theology of holiness by focusing on love - the core of God's nature and character - and describes how God invites us to share in a life of divine love. Thomas Oord and Michael Lodahl present this new paradigm for sanctification in a relevant and understandable style that is engaging and insightful, especially for the post-modern generation."...Communicating holiness in relational categories and making holiness understandable today are the two passions that inspire these imaginative theologians. With insightful originality they propose that love is the core notion of holiness. Every believer's life can be enriched with this candid contemporary dialog about the holy life."

go to http://www.nph.com to order.

2005-09-25T14:18:00.000-05:00

I'm on a classic TV show kick this weekend. I mean it doesn't get any better than Mr. Kotter, Horseshack, Vinney Boberino, Freddy "Boom Boom" Washington, and the ultimate Juan Epstein - "a note from my mudda (mother) Mr. Kotter."

This guy was the model teacher in a tough situation. He made learning about academics fun but he was tough. His class "had his back" at all times because he earned their trust. Plus this show was just downright hilarious - vintage Travolta!

Stay tuned for more classic TV shows. Yeah, I could choose to blog about the heavy stuff like Hurrican Rita and Katrina, I'm sure I will comment eventually, but bloggin on stuff that isn't so heavy is fun too.

Shifting gears - our Adult Bible Study Fellowship had like 30 people there today. Man God is really blessing our class and today was so cool because we are learning about the Spirit of Christ as our Guide. In John 14:18 Jesus states that he "would not leave us like orphans, but would come to us and help us." How many of us just try to live this life in our own strength and behave LIKE orphans. No, He comes to us and never leaves us. I've been in some tough life storms and I can attest to His never failing presence, even when I FEEL He's a zillion miles away.

Hey that's something to be happy about and the memory of "The Sweathogs."

2005-09-24T21:49:00.000-05:00

Well, it's Saturday night and awesome wife and I we're talking about our day just a few minutes ago. We went to this wild wild west show in Olathe at the Mahaffie homestead. Hot, but good day. Anyway, we were discussing the trick riders on the horses and it reminded me of when the Fonz jumped those cars in the parking lot of Arnold's. Yeah, I miss that guy. Richie too! No, I don't have TV Land on Cable. Gas prices are too high. Anyway, the days of the Fonz are over. Not even the Dukes of Hazard movie satisfies the hunger for the days when Saturday night baths, popcorn, and a Coke commercial by Mean Joe Green were so great. Can anyone relate?

Anyway, my son scored his first soccer goal today! Oh yes, it was so cool. Third game of the season, secon half, he's all alone on a break away. SCORE! He subbed out and came to the stands for a strawberry snack. Pretty great stuff.

All in all the wild west gun fights and western day thing was nice. My kids took a pic with Wyatt Earp. What a hard job he had. He suffered a lot for keepin' the law. Well goodnight with thoughts of the Fonz.

2005-09-23T12:44:00.000-05:00

I've been working on a project this year called The Quest. It's basically an Acts 2 and Wesleyan response to 40 days of Purpose and The Purpose Driven Life. PDL was awesome for so many Christians and for those who claim no faith in Christianity. The premise of The Quest, though, is to move people from initial understanding of God's purposes to discovering the Power to fulfill those purposes. I mean, after all, do we just do this Christian thing on our own strength or is there Somebody who can help us?

The five themes for discovery, much life 40 Days of Purpose had five, are Guidance (the Spirit of Christ is our Guide), Love (accepting God's unconditional unmerited love), Purity (how does that look today), Power (victory over sin), and Character (what are the marks of a person filled with the Spirit of Christ). People have asked me if this isn't just a "knock off" or if it's just a band wagon response. I say it may be only in methodology, but in content the focus is so radically different. I mean, if you could discover how to live the life you you've always longed for as a Christian than this is more than just discovering purpose it's about how to employ purpose. Botton line - this is new material that will help people know Jesus personally and experience the cleansing touch and power of God's Spirit as maybe never before. It's not fluff. It's as real as the day of Pentecost.

2005-09-21T21:32:00.000-05:00

I find myself a mid thirty-something, former track athelete, now dad, trying to get back in shape again. Cholesterol is high! Weights a bit high. So, working hard at exercising more and watching the sweets. Can anyone relate?

Well, I have a most awesome wife who's keeping me on task and helping me with nutrition. She bought me a pretty sweet mountain bike for my birthday in August so I can save my knees from the pavement! Plus I can ride with my family who is also big into bike riding.

Last great book I read was by Brian McLaren. This narrative theology and emergent methodology is really me. It's good to be able to finally connect with something of faith not entrenched in programs and the latest thing. And no, I don't think emergent is the latest thing, rather, a reawakeing to the roots of CHristian faith.