What do you think?

It's the end of the year again. Another amazing year has passed and a new one ahead....a new president, a new economic reality, a lot of changes on the way....just as promised by our new president. It may be time for a change here as well. If you are a regular visitor may I ask your help? What would you like to discuss? What changes can I make to make this more interesting, more fun? I'm ready for a face lift, but not sure what's needed. Would you help me?

The Christian life

This morning, the day after Christmas, I have been thinking about the Christian life.....the challenge of living a dependent life in a fallen world. It's quite a challenge for me. I often feel the pull of my flesh conflicting with the desires of the Spirit in me. And, I often fail, fail to walk with God and choose to walk in the flesh. It's the battle that Paul describes in Galatians 5...the battle between the old man who is still alive and well, and the new man in me, who wants more than anything, to please God. It's so frustrating to know what you really want to do, but not do it at all. There are attempts in the Christian world to describe this as living a balanced life, but my friend Dave has wisely mentioned that in this battle between flesh and spirit there can be no balance...it's all one or the other...walk by the Spirit of God in you or walk in the flesh. There isn't a balancing act to this, but simply a choice. I'm very frustrated that after all these years of knowing Christ my flesh is still so strong, still so able to make me choose badly. The truth is that I can never assume or believe I have somehow arrived. I will always be 100% dependent on the Spirit of God in me to live this life successfully. When I forget that is when I make poor choices and walk in the flesh. The Christian life isn't easy, in fact it's impossible....it's only done well when I let Christ live his life in and through me....and that's something I will have to do every day of my life. Just a few thoughts from a growing Christ follower......

Family time

We had a great time with our family Christmas eve. It was wonderful to have them all here and healthy. The house was a disaster area for a while with wrapping paper flying everywhere, but it was great, and next year we will have one more little smile to join us.

I hope you had a great time with your family during this holiday.

Merry Christmas!

The blessings of family

Our family celebrates Christmas on the eve before. With other family obligations for the kids this has worked out to be our family time together. It's a whirlwind evening with chili, tamales and the chaos of children unwrapping gifts. It's great fun. Here's a photo of the grandkids amid the chaos.

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Merry Christmas!

A special holiday for me!

thanks, Kris.

God WITH us

Isa 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

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Immanuel...it means "God WITH us". Today and tomorrow we celebrate the birth of Christ. It's a holiday for the Christian world because "God WITH us" was born. It may not be the right day to celebrate, that doesn't matter, what does matter is that there was a day in time and history when God became a man and walked among us. I am always amazed when I think about that idea....God WITH us....he became part of his own creation to live as each of us do. He knows what it's like to be tired, hungry, grieve and live out life day by day. God understands because he lived this life too. God WITH us....he knows what we are going through. He understands. He came and made his footprints on our planet and it's never been the same....and for that I'm eternally grateful.

The tree

My friend Dave and I went out to photograph a tree in a field near us. It's a large, lone tree in the field that the owners have decorated in brilliant white lights. It looks like every branch is covered. Every night there are photographers out by the road taking photos of this grand old tree. Here's mine. Thanks, Dave, for going with me.

Christmas lights

Last night we were invited by friends to join them on a carriage ride through uptown Dallas to see the Christmas lights. It was cold, but it was a lot of fun. We rode around the area for about an hour looking at lights and watching other people watch us ride by. It was quite a festive evening. Thanks Dan & Sharon.

The long arm of the law

Today I went to the police station and paid my speeding ticket. I'm sure you are asking, "A pastor...speeding???"

Yes, I'm sorry, but I was completely daydreaming and thinking about 1,000 other things and just flew through a school zone. Suddenly, all my other thoughts seemed less important as I saw the flashing lights behind me.

I could have gotten out of the ticket. I work as a police chaplain, and he would have just told me to slow down and sent me on my way...in fact he told me I should have let him know, but I didn't want to take advantage of the privilege. But after paying such a large ticket I kind of wish I would have pleaded for mercy although I deserved none.

Anyway, I'm stinging a little from the ticket, especially right before Christmas, but I'm glad I paid my debt to society....and now, believe it or not, I'm on probation. I've never been on probation before. It's a strange place for a pastor to be.

The entrance of the king

Seven centuries before Jesus was born the prophet Isaiah penned these words-

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Isa 9:6 For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.
Isa 9:7 There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace, On the throne of David and over his kingdom, To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness From then on and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will accomplish this.

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I'm always amazed as I read these verses. These two short verses have been the theme of songs, sermons and deep discussion for centuries. In this passage the prophet describes a baby who will be born, a human being, who will be called......

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Wonderful Counselor- The name used to describe the Holy Spirit to the disciples. The name given to Jesus in 1 John. This title is a name for God, and it's used to tell us that this baby will be that Wonderful Counselor.

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Mighty God- I can't imagine how the Jewish people dealt with this name. How could they ever imagine that God himself would become a human being to accomplish his own plan of salvation, but strange as it sounds there was a time in history when the creator of the universe became part of his own creation to provide salvation for the human race. God in flesh...what an amazing concept.

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Eternal Father- It's obvious as Isaiah writes, with the Spirit guiding him, that God doesn't want anyone to miss the point- HE is coming to planet earth. The very God of gods, King of kings will come and reside with us. He will become a nobody in a little town in Israel. The Eternal Father, the one and only God, will become a baby and grow up to live among us.

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Prince of Peace- And now to amaze us is another title. Not King of peace notice, but Prince of peace. It's subtle, but the implication is that, as the verses start to describe a baby born....a son given, we now understand something hidden for centuries that this Mighty God born to save us is the son of God. Not a son by birth, but a son by title. He is part of a Trinity. One God in three persons, and the son given is one with the Father who gave him. The Prince of Peace...the one who comes as prince over the peace kingdom. Until this one comes to reign peace will only be a dream for the human race.

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Now we know more clearly what the author meant, but what a glorious insight into the very nature and plan of God. And this one who will come has every intent in his plan to bring peace to a hostile world. It's only in Christ that we find the peace we each need. It's only through this baby born, this son given that we find God. It's only through trusting him as savior that we are forgiven of our sins.

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Christmas is about the greatest gift ever given....the gift of the son of God. Given to us who needed him most to meet our greatest needs...our need for a wonderful counselor, a God who is mighty enough to help us, a father who will never die and a prince to rule who will bring the peace we all long for. I hope you have a wonderful Christmas and don't forget- it is all about Christ.

Christmas season

It's wonderful to celebrate the Christmas holiday with family. I always look forward to the time together and the looks on the kid's faces when they open the gifts. Some years it is a little challenging to find the money for gifts, but we always seem to work it out.

My sweet wife is the ultimate Santa Claus kind of person. She loves the holiday, the foods, the decor, the games...and all that goes with it, but she married a Grinch kind of guy. I would rather take the easy way and not deal with all the work to set up the tree- we will only have to take it down again, and decorate the house- it only lasts for a few weeks....and so it goes. I'm really glad my grinchiness has not stifled her Santa Claus spirit. I love the resulting feel and celebration because of my wife's work and spirit. I wouldn't want to have my way...a Grinch Christmas would be really sad.

So, my advice- let the Santa Claus in you rule the holiday, and whether you can get a few gifts or many, remember that this holiday is a celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ, God who became man to die for our sins. Don't forget- it's all about HIM. Happy Birthday, Jesus.

It's a great family!

Last night we went to a Christmas party for one of our home groups. It was great fun to spend time with them and enjoy the fellowship and food. The hosts and leaders of the group are Jimmy and Nancy (with their daughter, Jessica). It was great to just fellowship, eat and laugh together. If you aren't in a home group of some kind, in our church or your own, may I encourage you to find one and become part of it? You won't discover what the church is really all about if you only attend on Sunday. It's the smaller communities of believers gathering in homes, praying for each other....reading the bible together....eating together that is really what makes the church the healthy, living thing God intended it to be.

A "cute fix"

For those of you who like "cute things" here's a must-

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http://www.cutethingsfallingasleep.org/

Just thinking

Christmas is just a week away.....I better get busy!

I'm not feeling very festive this year. I think it's because our weather has been so strange. It will be 75 tomorrow and Saturday and then in the high 20's by Monday. It's just hard to get in the holiday mood when the weather is so crazy.

Joye and I got to help serve the Sunday School teachers at their appreciation dinner last night. It was fun. We have an amazing group of servants.

I was reading in 1 Corinthians this morning and it suddenly struck me that Paul's admonition in this passage is to be willing to be a vegatarian, if needed, to keep a brother from stumbling. I hope that doesn't become necessary for me....I really like meat.

I am actually in my chair this morning, drinking coffee, reading and checking blogs and facebook. I am never home when the sun comes up in the morning....I'm feeling a little guilty.

We just roasted the last of the Kona beans that friends brought me from Hawaii. I'm sad. They were very good beans. I need to order more coffee beans soon!

I wonder how all these global financial problems will work out? What will the world look like in a year? And where did all this money go that has been lost in the last year?

I hope you have a great holiday season. Have a great day!