My family

Last night we had dinner with a young couple who are getting ready to go back to Guatemala as missionaries. They will leave this week with their newborn daughter and their 3 year old son. What a great part of my family they are. We always love seeing them and spending time with them.

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Today we ran to the airport to pick up two good friends who had gone to a missions conference in another state and were coming home today. We had lunch with them and had a great time together. What a great part of my family these friends are. It's a real treat when we can meet and spend time together.

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While we were on our way back from the airport I got a call from a good friend. He called to see if I had time for lunch today. We weren't able to get together today, but will another day. What a great part of my family this dear man is to me. We have helped each other through some very difficult times.

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I have an amazing family! My family is scattered all over the globe from hundreds of different races and languages. I have met family members in Brazil, Russia, Haiti and many other places I have traveled. It's always a great adventure to meet new members of my family. There are many in my family I have never met yet, but can't wait to get to know them.

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The disciples asked about this and Jesus told them that his family would be bigger than they could even imagine. IT IS! I love the family of God! It's so exciting to get to know new family members and know that we will be part of God's family for eternity.

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(disclaimer- I don't know anyone in the photo above......yet.)

Learning to serve

Some of the best lessons in scripture are the subtle ones that are easily missed. There is one story I have been thinking about because of the lessons it teaches me. I find that I learn the most from a narrative like this when I "get into the story" myself. It helps to imagine the setting and think about how I would respond if I were there.
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This story describes one of the great miracles of Jesus, but he was doing more than just feeding the thousands...he was teaching his disciples. Below is the story with my own thoughts in blue. I hope the things that helped me will help you as well.

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Luke 9:10 When the apostles returned, they gave an account to Him of all that they had done. Taking them with Him, He withdrew by Himself to a city called Bethsaida.
Luke 9:11 But the crowds were aware of this and followed Him; and welcoming them, He began speaking to them about the kingdom of God and curing those who had need of healing.
Luke 9:12 Now the day was ending, and the twelve came and said to Him, "Send the crowd away, that they may go into the surrounding villages and countryside and find lodging and get something to eat; for here we are in a desolate place."

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I don't think they were as concerned about the crowds as they seem to indicate. The truth is that it's time for dinner, and the disciples know they only have enough food for themselves. I'm sure they thought, "it would be really be hard to eat in front of these people, so let's send them off so we can eat dinner."

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Luke 9:13 But He said to them, "You give them something to eat!" And they said, "We have no more than five loaves and two fish, unless perhaps we go and buy food for all these people."

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I imagine that Jesus makes his statement with a smile, "you feed them!" He knew what he intended to do. I would love to see the disciples faces when he made this statement. And here is where we know they had enough for themselves, but not enough for this vast crowd. "Send them off so we can eat," but instead Jesus says, "you feed them!"

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Luke 9:14 (For there were about five thousand men.) And He said to His disciples, "Have them sit down to eat in groups of about fifty each."
Luke 9:15 They did so, and had them all sit down.

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Wouldn't you love the hear them talk to each other as they follow this command? "What is he doing?" "What good will this do?"

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Luke 9:16 Then He took the five loaves and the two fish,

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He took their dinner! Now the plan begins to unfold. Now they see what's next. He's going to give THEIR dinner to the crowd. How far would these few loaves and fish go to feed this crowd?

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and looking up to heaven, He blessed them, and broke them, and kept giving them to the disciples to set before the people.

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This is the part of the story that makes me smile. Jesus took THEIR dinner, prayed over it, then gave it to the disciples to give to the crowd. What a funny picture this must have been as they give THEIR dinner to the crowd. At first I think it was difficult as they watched their dinner gradually handed to the hungry crowds, but then something strange happened...the bread and fish kept coming! It didn't run out. Quickly they moved from grudgingly giving their dinner away to happily watching a miracle happen. How often do the gospels tell stories of those who give what they have only to see God provide more than they knew they had? It's a repeated theme- God is able to do more than you can even imagine. (Eph. 3:20)

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Luke 9:17 And they all ate and were satisfied; and the broken pieces which they had left over were picked up, twelve baskets full.

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As the story closes we are reassured that the hungry disciples were fed as well..."And they ALL ate and were satisfied." What a great lesson for them. In obedience they gave away their dinner to the crowd and by their willingness to obey they saw Jesus perform an amazing miracle and they got to eat as well. But that's not the end yet. The rest of the story tells us that they finish the day with dinner for tomorrow as well!

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What did I learn? I realized that I often miss the opportunity to see what God could do with what little I have because I don't think it's enough for him to work with. I often miss the opportunity to trust God and live with an open hand. I come back to this story to remind me that even a few loaves and fish are more than I think they are when God is involved.

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When you read the stories of the bible don't rush through them too quickly. Take your time, and you will be surprised at what you will see!

Roll Call!

Thank you for taking the time to stop by. It's quite an honor to know that you would invest your valuable time in reading my wandering thoughts, but I often wonder who has been here. So, this is roll call week! If you would be so kind please leave a comment with just your first name and location. If you want to leave a comment or suggestion I would love that as well.

Ok, line up, sound off, Roll Call!

Thoughts on great men

I'm reading the book of Job right now. I can't read about a life like this without trying to imagine what Job looked like to his friends after his hardships. The text says they didn't even recognize him. Trials, grief, loss, great sorrow will change how we look. I can only imagine how this great man of faith had been dramatically changed by what had happened to him.

I found this photo and immediately thought about Job. What has happened to create a face like this? This distinctive face hints at amazing stories. I would love to know more about this life....what has he seen? What has he done? What trials has he endured? What losses has he suffered?

What stories Job's face must have told to his friends. He had lost nearly everything, even his health, but he would not curse God. He didn't understand why his life had changed so dramatically, but he refused to blame God. Each time I read his story and his ongoing struggle as he visited with his "friends" I realize that Job gave us a great education in how to walk through difficult days. Whatever trials or struggles you go through know that God is watching over you. He has not left you. He's fully in charge of our lives as we go through the trials of life. Job has been a great teacher to me, and I value the education I gain each time I enter his "classroom."

the gratitude campaign (full length)

I love this idea. Watch the video and be part of the campaign.

The weight of your shadow

This evening I've been thinking about the lives that have been changed or influenced by the shadow of my life as our lives pass each other. I have been thinking about it as I reflect on my son's life. As I mentioned in the last post he turned 33 today. In my thoughts over the last 33 years I have thought about his life and the lives of others who have found themselves in the shadow of my passing. I will be honest that there are some I have hurt and others I have helped. I have cared for many, but I'm sure I simply didn't see some who were looking to me for help, friendship or encouragement. In this life we will never really know the impact of our lives on the lives of others. Some we have helped, some we have disappointed. The weight of our shadows is much more than we realize. That's why Jesus told his disciples that the most important thing we can do in our lives is to love God first, and then love one another. What he was communicating was that the most important things in our lives are our relationships with God and each other. My impact on eternity is closely connected to how I treat others as my shadow and I pass by. As I have thought about this I have been reading notes from people whose lives have been touched by the shadow of my life. Some have been changed, some were hurt or disappointed by me, some were helped and others found direction as I shared what God had done in my life. All of these thoughts and lives make me keenly aware of the weight of my shadow. Our shadows are much heavier than we will ever know. When you have a moment read Philippians 2:1-11 and pray about the weight of your shadow as the sun rises on the new day ahead.

Footprints into the future

33 years ago today we had a very busy and exciting day. 33 years ago today we saw our first footprint into the future arrive....our son, Ian. It was thrilling for us to have our firstborn child arrive. We were thrilled to find we had a healthy son. He was "so nice" as his grandmother said when she saw him.

I'm very proud of my kids, and thrilled to be their dad. They have been a real blessing in my life, and continue to be a blessing. Ian was our first footprint into the future, and he has taken the next step to be a man who knows and loves God and his family.

Today I'm blessed to celebrate the birthday of our son, Ian. Happy Birthday, son. I'm proud of you.

Liberty in Christ

I've been "camping" on Romans 8 for a while now. In fact I'm reading through it each day and I think I will continue to do so for a while. It is one of the great mountain tops of the bible. A place where you can see everything more clearly. The chapter begins with an amazing verse,

Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

After 7 chapters of magnificent theology Paul opens this chapter with liberating words, words that should make every reader pause with awe and amazement. In these few words Paul tells us that in Christ the burden of sin is gone, the weight of the law is lifted, the burden of performance is gone, the load of trying to be good enough is taken care of. The load of all that we carried in our lives, sin and all our attempts to please God by our own efforts, was taken care of by Christ on the cross, and now we are free!

Some have given their load of sin to Christ and found liberty, they have found freedom from the law and performance. Some are free, but those around them, who refuse to let go of their burdens, resent the freedom these have found in Christ. So they condemn them for their freedom. The burden carriers are trying to be good enough to please God on their own and are angry that others aren't trying to do the same. They don't realize that they can't please him as long as they carry their own burdens! But in Christ all that is gone...in Christ I'm free, I've found liberty from the load of religion that I carried, the load of good works to please God, the load of sin and guilt. Now I'm free, the burden is gone....now in Christ Jesus I'm free....I have liberty, and I will never carry that burden again!

Being remembered

This afternoon I spent several hours with a family planning a memorial service for a dear family member. I have done this hundreds of times, but each time it makes me reflective...how do I want to be remembered when I'm gone? What "marks in the sand" do I want to leave behind? I know the memory of my life by others is limited to two, maybe three generations at best. What will they remember? How will my life affect their lives? What difference will I make on planet earth?

One of the passions of my life has brought me great teasing from those who know me. I'm often teased by my passion for the bible....not because I read it (I do read it, but that's another story), but because of how many bibles I own. I collect bibles like some collect coins. It's become a topic of humor around the church, but if that's what I'm known for (in part) then I am thrilled with that. I love the word of God, not just owning it, but reading it. I read it because in it I find God revealed. I know him through the word, and since I want to know him I spend time in his word. It's the word that transforms my mind, and believe me...it needs to be transformed!

So, how do I want to be remembered? I would love to be known as a Godly man who loved the word of God. I would love to be known as someone passionate to know God, and one who invested his life to pursue him. I would love to be remembered as a man conformed to the image of Christ......I'm working on that now. I won't arrive in this lifetime, but I'm on the path, I have the map and a passion to know God....and one day my journey will be complete and my goal achieved.

Quote of the day

Redemption is not simply making creation a bit better, as the optimistic evolutionist would try to suggest. Nor is it rescuing spirits and souls from an evil material world, as the Gnostic would want to say. It is the remaking of creation, having dealt with the evil that is defacing and distorting it. And it is accomplished by the same God, now known in Jesus Christ, through whom it was made in the first place. --N.T. Wright, p. 97, Surprised by Hope

Monday's cartoon

Another story, another life

Early this morning a friend of mine left us. He stayed as long as he could because he didn't want to leave, but he finally grew too tired to stay any longer. His wife walked to the very end of the road with him. She stayed with him during this last week and would not leave his side. She walked to the very door with him, but he had to go through alone. This story is more about her than him. His story will have to wait. But her story is one of love and friendship through the most difficult days of life. We all long for someone like that, someone who will be with us through all of the good and bad days of life. Some have been blessed to find that person in a mate. My friend was one of those. His wife loved him dearly, and cared for him to the last moment.

For all of us that have trusted Christ as savior we have that friend, that one who walks with us through the most difficult days of life....it's Jesus Christ himself. His very presence, no matter what the problem of life, is a comfort and support. He is the one who will walk with us to the very door at the end of life, and then walk through it with us as well. That ever present comfort and help is something I sometimes take for granted, but what a joy to have someone with me all the time who cares for me, loves me, prays for me, counsels me and walks with me. He will never leave....he's always there to help in my time of need.

Often we try to measure our lives by the number of friends we have. How many care for us? How many love us? But there is only one friend that will really matter at the end, and that's your friendship with Jesus himself. Our attempts to find a friend who will stick by us in this life are often frustrated, but he is the friend who likes you even when no one else does. If you get to the end with only him you have done well. If you find there are others there as well, then you are unusually blessed. My friend left today with the love of a dear wife on this side of the door, and the love of Christ waiting on the other side. He was a blessed man indeed.

Dressing up

I'm teaching through the book of Romans at church. It's been a lot of fun for me, but it has been fast paced. We have gone through a chapter a week, so for over an hour we are working through the passages at a rather brisk pace. The truth of it is that you could spend your whole adult life grazing on the book of Romans and not discover all that is in this book. In my personal reading I am in Romans each day. I have done this for quite a while, but never grow tired of it.

In the class this last week we came to chapter 13. It's a difficult passage dealing with our response to government first, and then our relationship with others, but what always makes me stop is the last verse of the chapter. This last short verse has two admonitions in it, both simple by appearance but daunting in reality. Here's the verse-

Rom 13:14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts.

It has the flavor of "put on this" and "put off that." It's daunting because I must admit that after all these years I'm still trying to figure out how to wear this wardrobe I'm invited to clothe myself with. What does it look like to put on the Lord Jesus Christ? Obviously we don't do it literally as if we were wearing a costume, it's an invitation to an identity that starts on the inside and is seen on the outside. It's really not a matter of worthiness, but it's an issue of willingness. Am I willing to put on Christ and put off the lusts I have? It's one decision that demands another one....but it's a command that demands intentional action and resolve. I've just been thinking about this verse for a couple days.....I'm going to spend a few more days on it before I move on.

I would love to hear your thoughts on this passage....

Boundin´

It's a great day for a smile. This is one of my favorite cartoons. It's even better when you're watching it with children. It has some great theology in it, and if you have never seen it....enjoy.

Thoughts on a day

Today has been a busy day. In fact the last few have kept me going so fast I haven't had time to post anything. But today....as I'm going through the day, a man calls the church asking for help. He had been rude to the receptionist, Connie, so she sent the call to me to help her. Here's the call as I remember it: Me- "Hi, my name is Mike, can I help you?" Phone- "Yes, my name is Chris and I need help. I've called more than 30 places and no one will help me. I'm not asking for much, I just need some help." (He's very rude and frustrated.) Me- "Ok, Chris, first you are calling me for help right?" Phone- "Yes." Me- "Ok, then being angry and hostile will have to stop. You're asking for help, that's no way to get it." Phone- "Well, I've called 30 different places and no one will help me. I just need a little help." Me- "Ok, what do you need?" Phone- "I need some shoes."

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I've skipped a line because I don't want you to miss his request. He didn't ask for money, he didn't want me to pay his rent. He needed shoes. Someone had broken into his truck and taken all his stuff. He's here working from another state, and didn't have anything else to wear. I really don't know if anyone else had even listened to his story, but I thought, you know I have some extra shoes.

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So I ask, Me- "Chris, what size do you wear?" Phone- "11." Me- "What kind of shoe do you need?" (Now he's getting nicer.) Phone- "I need a work shoe, OSHA approved, so I can work, one that covers my ankle." Me- "Ok, I got it. Where are you?" Phone- (pause) "I'm at ______. Oh, and if you had a few bucks for something to eat tonight, they stole my wallet too, but I get paid tomorrow and I'll pay you back." Me- "I'll be there as soon as I pick up the boots I have at home just for what you need. And I have some money, I'll give you what I have. It's enough to get a burger tonight. I'll be there as soon as I can." Phone- "Thanks..."

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I told the ladies in the office where I was going...they were worried for me and tried to get another pastor to go along, but this was something I wanted to see through on my own. I got the boots, stopped and got a coke, some chips, cookies, and a few other things to eat, and made my way to Chris' location. When I got there I called him and he met me at the corner gas station. Around the corner comes a nice looking young man, maybe late 20's, who introduces himself. Chris- "Hi, I'm Chris." Me- "Hi Chris, here's the boots I told you about. They will work great for what you need. They are steel-toe boots. And here's something to eat, and here's some money for a burger." Chris- "Thanks, I'll pay you back...." Me- "You don't need to do that, but I do want you to do one thing. You need the Lord, Chris. You need a relationship with him. I'm not helping you if I don't challenge you to seek that as well." Chris- "I have a relationship with God....(his voice trailing off). Me- "I'll tell you what, Chris. When you want to talk, call me. You know where I am, and I'll buy you lunch and we can talk about this some more, ok?" Chris- "Ok...."

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There are thousands of young men and women out there like Chris, who know the church is the place to call when they have a need, but are rebuffed because they are angry, hurting, just needing some shoes. What do we miss when we only hear the anger and forget the eternal soul of that hurting person. So, as you pray today, would you pray for Chris? Would you think about him, and watch for the opportunities to reach out to the hurting people around you who just need a pair of shoes and the love of a Christian?