Part of my role as a Pastor is visiting with our sick, elderly and shut ins from time to time. I took the time today to sit at the foot of the bed of a precious lady in our congregation. In the back of my mind at first I was thinking, "Man, I'm not done with my sermon for Sunday yet, I'm not sure I have the time to be here right now."
Luckily, this particular lady is quite good at retelling events from her past, and there's nothing she likes to talk about more than the memories of her departed husband of more than fifty years. Today, she told me of their first date, where he (as a good ol' country boy) called her up and asked her if she wanted to go for a ride and shoot his gun. She thought to herself, "what a stupid thing to ask a girl!" but went anyways, tagging along her little sister. They stopped at the store, bought some apples and a large chunk of cheese, and went out shooting his twenty-two. They married 6 weeks later. My response . . . cool.
The point of this blog?
Slow down long enough to ask someone much older than you about their life when they were younger. You'll accomplish at least two things:
1. You'll gain perspective on a generation that's seen and experienced things we've never dreamed of.
2. You'll bless their heart by giving value and honor to their memories and their past.
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Thursday, August 18, 2011
New Life
So, yesterday was an amazing day concerning life that is new in at least two ways:
1. I got to meet my brand new nephew Quentin. He's quite a little man. Gonna be tall, dark, and handsome like his dad.
2. I got to see a man named Andrew experience what 2 Cor. 5:17 talks about - he became a "new creation" in Christ!
The details of this man, where he was, and how it all came about - they are quite interesting, but details for another blog another day. What is incredible is this - just as little Quentin is a new life, so is a new brother in Christ I got to meet Wednesday. I pray for him, and for all my brothers and sisters in fellowship - will he find a way into ours? Will he find hope, peace, purpose and meaning beyond the initial euphoria of new life in Christ? New parents often have a real sense of fear for their new children - "Will they be healthy? Normal? Successful? Happy?" I have some of the same worries for my new friend.
Although I hope he won't be normal, I hope he'll be extraordinary, like Christ.
1. I got to meet my brand new nephew Quentin. He's quite a little man. Gonna be tall, dark, and handsome like his dad.
2. I got to see a man named Andrew experience what 2 Cor. 5:17 talks about - he became a "new creation" in Christ!
The details of this man, where he was, and how it all came about - they are quite interesting, but details for another blog another day. What is incredible is this - just as little Quentin is a new life, so is a new brother in Christ I got to meet Wednesday. I pray for him, and for all my brothers and sisters in fellowship - will he find a way into ours? Will he find hope, peace, purpose and meaning beyond the initial euphoria of new life in Christ? New parents often have a real sense of fear for their new children - "Will they be healthy? Normal? Successful? Happy?" I have some of the same worries for my new friend.
Although I hope he won't be normal, I hope he'll be extraordinary, like Christ.
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Tears of joy & sadness
So, this being my first blog, I feel the pressure to make it a good one. Oh well-since I have no followers yet I guess there's really no pressure.
So reading in Ezra 3:12_13 theres this crazy situation where the foundation for the new temple has been laid. All the people are there and some are shouting for joy and others weeping in sadness. All over the same event. What gives?
The older Jews wept because they had experienced the first Temple that king Solomon had built. This Temple could not compare to the formers glory-hence the sadness.
The younger Jews knew only slavery and had never seen the original Temple. This day marked a joyous event for them.they had shouts of joy.
I thought this was pretty descriptive of many modern religious attitudes. Some clamor for the next new thing. Some bemoan the fact that it's not as good as the good old days.
So what's right? The text no where says which group had the correct response. Is there room in the Body of Christ for both the emergents and the traditionalists?
One thing I know, the Temple was rebuilt and it was different. Change is inevitable. We can celebrate it, or gripe about it, but either way it comes.
Most of the time I welcome it with joy.
So reading in Ezra 3:12_13 theres this crazy situation where the foundation for the new temple has been laid. All the people are there and some are shouting for joy and others weeping in sadness. All over the same event. What gives?
The older Jews wept because they had experienced the first Temple that king Solomon had built. This Temple could not compare to the formers glory-hence the sadness.
The younger Jews knew only slavery and had never seen the original Temple. This day marked a joyous event for them.they had shouts of joy.
I thought this was pretty descriptive of many modern religious attitudes. Some clamor for the next new thing. Some bemoan the fact that it's not as good as the good old days.
So what's right? The text no where says which group had the correct response. Is there room in the Body of Christ for both the emergents and the traditionalists?
One thing I know, the Temple was rebuilt and it was different. Change is inevitable. We can celebrate it, or gripe about it, but either way it comes.
Most of the time I welcome it with joy.
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