A Thanksgiving Message from Philippians 4.
We may not able to control the circumstances, but we can, by grace, rejoice no matter what the circumstances may be.
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Monday, November 26, 2012
letting go of the lions
My son has a toy lion that he will not let go of. It is small enough to fit in his hand and he takes it everywhere - the tub, to bed, you name it. Right now it is his favorite thing in the whole world. So you can imagine how upset he was yesterday when he couldn't find it. It must have somehow loosened from his death-grip and fell to the ground on the way from the car into the house. Luckily, we found it and all was well with the world - at least for my son.
This is a cute part of him being 2 years old. This little toy lion, which probably isn't even worth a quarter, is priceless to him. He loves it and needs it wherever he goes. This is a cute thing now, but I bet it won't be very cute if he is still carrying it around when he is 18. We indulge his little favorite toy because we know that it will most likely be short-term. He will move on, find another toy, and we will adjust to make sure he develops an appropriate relationship with these toys.
During this season of year we are reminded of the great traditions that we have. They shape who we are and even who we are yet to become. They are a part of us and we cannot separate ourselves from them without some collateral damage. (I was upset in not being able to fulfill my annual Thanksgiving tradition of falling asleep on the couch after the meal.) In our lives we carry around these special things but there are also times when we need to learn to let them go. We cannot carry around our 'lions' forever.
The struggle, particularly in the church concerning tradition, change, and the cultural shock of a new pastoral leader is that we don't want to let our 'lions' go. These lions mean a great deal to us, but honestly we look a bit ridiculous carrying around our lions as grown adults. Much like if I had a blanky still, or my favorite bedtime toy monkey sitting next to me in my office. There are some things that we must learn to let go of - as hard as it may be.
What lions are you carrying around still?
What have you done that needs to be undone?
What have you learned that needs to be unlearned or relearned?
Take a lesson from Jesus - He did not consider equality with God something to be grasped. You don't see Him clinging, reaching, and refusing to let go. Let the lions fall, because you may never know what you may be able to obtain next.
This is a cute part of him being 2 years old. This little toy lion, which probably isn't even worth a quarter, is priceless to him. He loves it and needs it wherever he goes. This is a cute thing now, but I bet it won't be very cute if he is still carrying it around when he is 18. We indulge his little favorite toy because we know that it will most likely be short-term. He will move on, find another toy, and we will adjust to make sure he develops an appropriate relationship with these toys.
During this season of year we are reminded of the great traditions that we have. They shape who we are and even who we are yet to become. They are a part of us and we cannot separate ourselves from them without some collateral damage. (I was upset in not being able to fulfill my annual Thanksgiving tradition of falling asleep on the couch after the meal.) In our lives we carry around these special things but there are also times when we need to learn to let them go. We cannot carry around our 'lions' forever.
The struggle, particularly in the church concerning tradition, change, and the cultural shock of a new pastoral leader is that we don't want to let our 'lions' go. These lions mean a great deal to us, but honestly we look a bit ridiculous carrying around our lions as grown adults. Much like if I had a blanky still, or my favorite bedtime toy monkey sitting next to me in my office. There are some things that we must learn to let go of - as hard as it may be.
What lions are you carrying around still?
What have you done that needs to be undone?
What have you learned that needs to be unlearned or relearned?
Take a lesson from Jesus - He did not consider equality with God something to be grasped. You don't see Him clinging, reaching, and refusing to let go. Let the lions fall, because you may never know what you may be able to obtain next.
Wednesday, November 21, 2012
turkey and gratitude
"Gratitude ... goes beyond the "mine" and "thine" and claims the truth that all of life is a pure gift. In the past I always thought of gratitude as a spontaneous response to the awareness of gifts received, but now I realize that gratitude can also be lived as a discipline. The discipline of gratitude is the explicit effort to acknowledge that all I am and have is given to me as a gift of love, a gift to be celebrated with joy." -- Henri J. M. Nouwen
"For most of the world it will be just another day.
For most Americans it will be a day for gluttony and football.
For lots of Americans it will be a great day for family and friends to gather.
For less Americans it will be a time of actual gratitude.
For too many Americans it will be a day of homelessness.
For those who are Christians it will be just another day of living the life of continual thanksgiving." - Steve Blakemore.
Remember tomorrow as we gather around the table - that our attitude, prayers, and overal thankfulness should be part of our daily reality, rather than a once a year thing. Happy Thanksgiving! We indeed have much to be thankful for!
Tomorrow -
"For most of the world it will be just another day.
For most Americans it will be a day for gluttony and football.
For lots of Americans it will be a great day for family and friends to gather.
For less Americans it will be a time of actual gratitude.
For too many Americans it will be a day of homelessness.
For those who are Christians it will be just another day of living the life of continual thanksgiving." - Steve Blakemore.
Remember tomorrow as we gather around the table - that our attitude, prayers, and overal thankfulness should be part of our daily reality, rather than a once a year thing. Happy Thanksgiving! We indeed have much to be thankful for!
Monday, November 19, 2012
The Friends we Keep
A study at the book of Job and his relationship with his three friends.
How are you helping those who are hurting during this time? What can we learn to do and what not to do from these three friends.
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
The Blessing of Pain
How could pain ever be a blessing?
Mark 1: 40-42... hear a familiar story retold in a new way.
Even in pain we can find comfort.
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
the day after
"No matter which candidate you voted for last night, you were not voting for a savior, only a president." - Dr. Steve Blakemore
I am frankly tired of all of the ramblings people are putting on Facebook concerning the election. If we thought the advertisements and commercials for the politicians were bad, then we are not even listening to ourselves with the amount of garbage we are putting on social media.
I am frankly tired of all of the ramblings people are putting on Facebook concerning the election. If we thought the advertisements and commercials for the politicians were bad, then we are not even listening to ourselves with the amount of garbage we are putting on social media.
Dr. Blakemore has it right. Let's keep things in perspective folks. I will say this and only this - I have never felt more ashamed in all of my life to call myself a Christian than this morning. Maybe it's because the prevalent use of social media has multiplied the witness (good or bad) of our opinions and thoughts. The blatant misrepresentation of Scripture, poor theology, and the overall blinding personal preference is overwhelming to me. What's the issue, really? So we don't like the President or the way things are? Or is it that you placed your hopes and dreams in this one man? Foolishness. Since he let you down as all people will do, you found yourself another person to place your hopes. Mitt is going to change things for the better, you thought. Christians particularly have ignored the fact that before Mitt took the bull by the horns you were calling him a heretic. All of a sudden his religion is much closer to yours now because he affirms your political ideals. Strange bed-fellows indeed.
So let's all just calm down a bit. Remember the words we speak because we cannot take them back. I know that I don't like being misquoted, so I would think that God doesn't like it either. Stop trying to make the Bible say what you want it to say and let it simply speak. Remember that our Gospel is winsome next time you are being a jerk on social media. So I will have to refrain for a bit from telling strangers that I am a pastor because all they will think of is some of the ridiculous things that are happening today. Please, don't make my job any harder. Love one another - yes, even on the day after.
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
After the Storm
After facing a great devastation we seek to find hope and encouragement in our new sermon series, After the Storm.
What does Jesus do after He speaks peace to the storm?
Mark 5
Monday, November 5, 2012
voting and choosing
What a drag to sayAt least I still have yesterday
Show me something I can beAnd play a song that I can singMake me feel as I am freeSomeone come speak for me
As we go to the polls we are faced again with the struggle of having to choose from basically two people. I know there are other candidates out there, but let's get serious - at the end of the night its Red or Blue.
I have heard many comment about the struggle of having to choose to vote for someone who really doesn't capture their full picture of what they would want in a President. It's difficult to find that person actually. It's tough to capture the entire spectrum of thought, experience, and preference for people. This impossible task is placed upon all leaders, whether they lead a country, business, non-profit, or even a church. In the end we want someone to show us something that we can be, I want them to speak for me.
But instead of letting them speak for me - because they do not know what it's like to be uniquely me, I speak for myself through choice. What do you do when your choices seem limited and are not your preferences? I believe you still choose - maybe not in the way everyone think though.
I know that there are a lot of people thinking and praying through this decision. Will you commit yourselves to pray and think just as hard when its all done, regardless of who wins?
Show me something I can beAnd play a song that I can singMake me feel as I am freeSomeone come speak for me
As we go to the polls we are faced again with the struggle of having to choose from basically two people. I know there are other candidates out there, but let's get serious - at the end of the night its Red or Blue.
I have heard many comment about the struggle of having to choose to vote for someone who really doesn't capture their full picture of what they would want in a President. It's difficult to find that person actually. It's tough to capture the entire spectrum of thought, experience, and preference for people. This impossible task is placed upon all leaders, whether they lead a country, business, non-profit, or even a church. In the end we want someone to show us something that we can be, I want them to speak for me.
But instead of letting them speak for me - because they do not know what it's like to be uniquely me, I speak for myself through choice. What do you do when your choices seem limited and are not your preferences? I believe you still choose - maybe not in the way everyone think though.
I know that there are a lot of people thinking and praying through this decision. Will you commit yourselves to pray and think just as hard when its all done, regardless of who wins?
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