So I'm supposed to be having "focused" sermon prep time right now, but I find myself somewhat distracted. (who's surprised?)
Our family cat (Misty) is not a fan of the family dog (Hunter). Hunter is a Yellow Lab, and still a puppy. Hunter approaches Misty like he approaches all things -aka "play toys." Normally, when Hunter is in the house, Misty retreats to the safety of my daughter's room.
Not tonight. Appearantly Misty feels safest nestled against the wall on a bench under the kitchen table. The table I happen to be "working" on. Her defenses against the curious and playful advances of the dog consist of jab like punches with her clawless paws. Of course, this is (mis)interpreted by Hunter as indicitive of "I want to play with you!"
In light of the unsuccessful physical defense, Misty turns to a verbal one. If I could record her sounds I'm pretty sure it would make a great soundtrack for a haunted house. A really low "mmmrrrrrrrraaaaaaarrr" that is kinda creepy to come out of such a small (and hopefully non-demon possessed) animal.
OK, so to the point . . .
Some things that are just natural, mortal enemies. Like our sin and God's holiness. Galatians 5:17 says, "The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions."
Flesh and Spirit, Dogs & Cats. The best way to control our household pet situation is to keep them separated. Each has it's own territory. Sometimes we try to control our flesh/spirit problem the same way. Church and family is the Spirit's territory, work, Friday and Saturday night belong to the flesh.
I don't think that's how God intends it to be. He doesn't want us to strike a deal, negotiate a peace treaty, or try to get them to get along. Romans 8:12-13 says, "Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, you have no obligation to do what your sinful nature urges you to do. 13 For if you live by its dictates, you will die. But if through the power of the Spirit you put to death the deeds of your sinful nature, you will live."
Will Hunter and Misty ever be friends? I doubt it, and neither will my sin nature (flesh) and the Spirit. I need to quit making room for the flesh and giving it any place in my life. What about you?
Friday, January 13, 2012
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Hide and Seek? or Seek and Find?
The thing in my family to do in the car is to make up weird games to play. Actually, this really only applies to my daughters as my older son is now in the phase of life where he simply wants to turn up the radio, or even better zone out on his ipod.
So, the other day my 6 year old Emma says to me, "Daddy, let's play a game. I say a number and you have to say if it's a boy or a girl." Now, I know in some languagues pretty much every word is either masculine or feminine, but I've never heard of numbers having gender! But what the heck, I'm game.
"1" I say "boy". "No, it's a girl." she says. "2" I say "Boy?" "No, it's a girl." "3" I say "Girl???" "No Dad, it's a boy!" she says, sounding rather annoyed at my ineptness.
Basically, I didn't get one right until I think number 11. I have a sneaky suspicion there was no formula involved, simply a matter of how much she wanted Daddy to suffer. Fun game.
If the game is not understood, it's pretty hard to enjoy the game.
Isaiah 45:19 says,
I publicly proclaim bold promises. I do not whisper obscurities in some dark corner. I would not have told the people of Israel to seek me if I could not be found. I, the LORD, speak only what is true and declare only what is right.
Sometimes we think our relationship with God is a game like Emma's, where we really don't know the rules or how to play. We go along, trying as hard as we can to figure God out, only to be frustrated. There's been times I've felt that way.
Isaiah 45 gives us some assurance - there is a point, it is possible, keep seeking!
James 4:8 Says . . . Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.
There was no magical formula to figure out Emma's game, and there's no magic formula to get close to God, just keep moving His direction, and believe me, He'll meet you way more than half way!
So, the other day my 6 year old Emma says to me, "Daddy, let's play a game. I say a number and you have to say if it's a boy or a girl." Now, I know in some languagues pretty much every word is either masculine or feminine, but I've never heard of numbers having gender! But what the heck, I'm game.
"1" I say "boy". "No, it's a girl." she says. "2" I say "Boy?" "No, it's a girl." "3" I say "Girl???" "No Dad, it's a boy!" she says, sounding rather annoyed at my ineptness.
Basically, I didn't get one right until I think number 11. I have a sneaky suspicion there was no formula involved, simply a matter of how much she wanted Daddy to suffer. Fun game.
If the game is not understood, it's pretty hard to enjoy the game.
Isaiah 45:19 says,
I publicly proclaim bold promises. I do not whisper obscurities in some dark corner. I would not have told the people of Israel to seek me if I could not be found. I, the LORD, speak only what is true and declare only what is right.
Sometimes we think our relationship with God is a game like Emma's, where we really don't know the rules or how to play. We go along, trying as hard as we can to figure God out, only to be frustrated. There's been times I've felt that way.
Isaiah 45 gives us some assurance - there is a point, it is possible, keep seeking!
James 4:8 Says . . . Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.
There was no magical formula to figure out Emma's game, and there's no magic formula to get close to God, just keep moving His direction, and believe me, He'll meet you way more than half way!
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Graveyard
Apropriate place to sit quietly for a few moments before our grief group starts tonight.
Hard to explain my feelings about grief. It's kinda like certain types of food I guess, like cabbage. I hate to eat it and it tastes bad, but I guess it's good for me.
that's how I experience grief. I'm the kind of person who wants to move forward not really think about the past But just think about today and tomorrow.
I don't like to take the time to think about how much I miss my dad or my father in law. But, it's good to do. To let the tears fall and the heart feel the pain, it's all a part of life.
The temptation is to treat grief the same way as cabbage-spit it out, run from it, keep busy so it doesn't ever rise to the top of the pile.
Chew chew swallow. Thats what I'll do. One bite at a time.
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
"my way"
Thats got to be the saddest song played at funerals. One line at the end of the song says"not as one who kneels".
My Bible says that one day every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord. For Him to be "Lord" means it's His way, not ours.
The proud arrogance of that song makes me very, very sad.
I hope at my funeral no one will accuse me of doing it my way.
You?
My Bible says that one day every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord. For Him to be "Lord" means it's His way, not ours.
The proud arrogance of that song makes me very, very sad.
I hope at my funeral no one will accuse me of doing it my way.
You?
Thursday, August 25, 2011
apples, cheese & twenty twos
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.
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 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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