Adoption: It's an Amazing Demonstration of Love - with a powerful video

Adoption is something that I can remember having a negative opinion of as a child. It wasn't because it was learned in the home, but there was something else that seemed to cause it to have negativity attached to it. Maybe it was the fact that it appeared the parents "didn't want" the child.  Maybe there was a sense of pity associated with the situation. I cannot nail it down to any one specific situation.

As I became an adult I discovered something new, fresh, and exciting about adoption. For one, my wife and I went through some trying times as we were wanting to have a child. We had an opportunity for a "shotgun" approach to adopting a bi-racial baby. We were excited and pursued the opportunity. Bottom line is that it didn't work out.

Then, as I had been in ministry a few years, I noticed something about the idea of adoption that I had not realized before. I had been adopted. I had not been adopted by my parents, as they were my biological mom and dad. However, I had been adopted by God. It wasn't because I was not wanted. Rather, it was because I was wanted and loved.

He had adopted me with my tattered past. He had adopted me with my deformities and subpar abilities. He had adopted me when most people would not want me. He had adopted me with such imperfections that made me feel giddy inside. Why, because of His love for me.

The other part of it is that He will adopt you, if you haven't already been adopted into His family!

I came across this video by accident. I won't spoil it for you, but it is amazing the love that is shown by two people to these kids. As I thought it was pretty special, I cannot imagine what it must be like to have my God love me that much more. I cannot imagine the human side of what it would have been like to feel no sense of hope and then receive this blessing of being adopted. So thankful for my adoption!

Now it's your turn...What is your view of adoption after seeing this video or reading this article?

Leap of Faith...It Might Be All You Have

During my early high school years I often had to get a ride home after practices from coaches. They drove right by my house and I was at their mercy regarding when they left and how often they stayed before I was able to go home. My only mode of transportation, due to the circumstances was their vehicle.

For most of my married life we have been a "one car" family. We managed to have one vehicle for several years. In that time there were occasions in which I had to ask people for rides to various places. Because this was not a regular occurence it was not a big deal, but I'm glad it was not an issue we encountered too often. That brings us to this week's quote...

Sometimes your only available transportation is a leap of faith

Sometimes in life one must simply "go for it" to get anywhere. Standing around in life does not enable one to get very far in life. If we all simply sat where we were at, we'd never arrive at where we were going.

We used to have a small black Pomeranian puppy that I can recall being scared to go around a bag of trash because it mostly blocked her way from point A to point B. She would be fidgety about wanting to go past the bag, but she wouldn't just go, initially. She "danced around" gearing herself all up to finally go. When she went, she bolted past the linoleum as fast as she could go.

For our dog, it took that leap of faith to get where she needed to go. Without it, she'd stay where she was at. We are much the same. We need to take a "leap of faith" from time to time. Without it, we's be paralyzed to stay where we were. With a leap of faith, we would see doors open and mountains crossed. What is your "closed door" or "mountain" that you need opened or crossed? Take that "leap" and see what awaits you!

Now it's your turn...what are you going to "leap" over or into?

Another Side of the Holidays - When you lose a loved one

This time of the year is filled with families who are getting together and enjoying time together. Sometime during that time together they will likely share in a meal together. For some people, there may be more than one “Thanksgiving” meal that is shared with more than one family unit. For some families, they will go to Thanksgiving at one side of their family tree and Christmas at the other side.

As you know, with holidays like Thanksgiving we tend to focus on being thankful and gratitude. These are great things to be focused on in a world that tends to focus on problems. Then, all the positive that comes with Christmas and the “most wonderful time of the year.” Who cannot help but to love this time of year? However, there are some that may not be at the pinnacle of the idealistic side of the holidays.

As this time of year is often spent with family, there stands some special population that sometimes seems to be overlooked or shoved to the side. I am speaking of those who have lost loved ones over the past year. I know that there will be those who have already spent their “first” holiday season, birthday, and other special days without their loved one, but there is something about that “first” season away from a loved one.

In the past year, I have known several who fall into this category. Though I hadn’t spent several of the previous holiday seasons with my grandma and uncle, I have lost them both in the recent months. Along with that, a great gentleman who I was close to was suddenly killed on a motorcycle accident this past summer.

As I think about these three individuals, my heart goes out to their families. In the case of my grandmother, my father and his siblings lost their mother. In the case of my uncle, he left behind a wife, two sons and their families, and three sisters, plus other family members. In the case of my friend, he leaves behind a wife, three kids and their families, plus other family members.

As I reflect on these three situations I cannot help but wonder how this Thanksgiving and Christmas will affect them. For several, they have spent several of these holidays with that loved one and this one is going to have a void.

Along with that void there will be sadness and tears. Although this is a season that is normally positive in nature, for those with a void in their holiday season, all positive will be at least a bit clouded by the vacancy of their loved one.

To no longer have your loved one in your life is going to present its various levels of difficulty as you venture into the holiday season. With that void in one’s life this season may not be the “most wonderful time of the year” because you will be missing that person who, a few months before, was in your life.

For those who are experiencing their “first” holiday season without a special loved one, I would like to say I will be praying for you as you travel through this holiday season without them. If you know of someone in this special population, I would like to ask you to be praying for those you know. Pray that God may comfort them as they reflect on their past, which they were fortunate to spend with their loved one. May the Great Comforter fill the void for all of you who are missing something this holiday season.

Jesus' Blended Family - A message that reminds us about our commitment to the spiritual family

What comes to your mind when you think of a spiritual family? Your thoughts could be anything from simple words like good, love, or hate, or your thoughts could go to "I don't believe in a 'spiritual' family," "They are a bunch of hypocrites," "We are not close, we are not any kind of a family," or some other elaborated answer.

If you were to define what family, in this sense means, it would probably come from this definition, "a group of people united by certain convictions or a common affiliation." One's spiritual family would be connected by their belief in certain religious convictions. They may not be the exact same, but most would agree the "core" of the beliefs are similar.

Jesus was told that His family was wanting to visit with Him in Matthew 12:46-50. He then replies with a question that can be summed up with this question, "Who is my family?" When it comes to the type of family Jesus answers with, He is basically describing a blended family of different genders, races, cultures, and beliefs. That all together makes up Jesus' family! Here are some applications to choose from to use this week...

• Understanding ~ When Jesus answers this question, in the text, He uses the word "whoever." This world will be an umbrella term for everyone. For some, that may have really strong biases or prejudices, this word may challenge your thinking. To think about someone who has a lower education, children out of wedlock, drinks too much, cusses like a sailor, dresses different than you deem "normal," likes the same gender, has a different color skin, wears a turban, and the list could continue, that any of these could be welcome to receive the grace that Jesus offers and have their sins forgiven may seem preposterous. Some of these are lifestyle sins and some of these are simply differences. The ones that are lifestyle would need to change their lifestyle in order to continue to enjoy that grace. For the ones that are simply "differences" then we may need to just "accept" and not judge them. Let us be understand of who the "whoever" is when it comes to Jesus' invitation.
• Just at Your Church? ~ As I mentioned a definition of family, think about how that applies to you spiritually. I am focusing on those who have a religious affiliation. Are you seeing those who are "within" your church building's walls as they only "Christians?" Are they the only one's you foresee joining up with you in heaven some day? What do you think would be your reaction if you were wrong in your thinking and there was someone else...maybe me...there as well? I think it would be surprising to some to find out who is going to be there. I have to say that I may be surprised as well. May we try to find the main point of our beliefs and be open to others who may share in that same set of beliefs.
• Love Less ~ Remember that whether we are talking about our own biological family or our spiritual family, we are still to love Jesus more. However, because Christ is the head of the spiritual body, would we say we should love our spiritual family moreso than our biological family? I think they may rank a bit higher. When they are one-in-the-same, then that is a totally different variable. Let us love Him most!a group of people united by certain convictions or a common

Though we may be able to trace our family trees so far back and find out exactly who is on our tree, one thing we will never know is how many we have in our spiritual family until we make it to heaven. As you go through your week, ask God to open doors to lead you to people that need to hear about Jesus. They may be related!

Now it's your turn...what is it that you like best and least about having a spiritual familie?

With Me or Against Me - A message about challenging me regularly to decide which side of the line I stand on for Jesus

In our country's first hundred years of existence, there were likely many families that went through a lot of their own "civil wars." It may have been cousins that were on different sides. Maybe it was in-laws in which they had a son-in-law on the other side. Maybe it was even children that went to fight for the other side.

Before the fighting began and the talks of debate were happening, imagine the uncomfortable family gatherings and discussions that must have taken place prior to the actual fighting. Imagine the arguments that may have been stirred. Imagine the "I'm not coming back" or disowning that may have occurred throughout these years of turmoil.

In these types of situations people were forced to plant themselves on one side of the line or another. They couldn't be halfway and still make everyone happy. Someone was not going to be happy. Sunday, we looked at Jesus in Matthew 12:22-37 where He was continuing to speak the truth, though some were not happy. Here are some applications to choose from to use this week...

• Directed Placement ~ When we call someone a name or label someone then we are putting people on a side of a line which they may not actually choose to be or deserve to be. Most of the time when we do this it is based on perception, even a false perception. We are directing those we label to a side of the line, whether they like ot or not. To call someone a "hot shot" may be actually misinforming ourselves; they may not be that label at all. Let us work on falsely putting people into a category they do not deserve based on our perception.
• Falsely Labeling Jesus ~ Based on Jesus gaining influence and, quite frankly, having a difficult time understanding Him, they label Jesus as a "prince of demons." There are times we may label Him also. Maybe names like "liar" when we are wondering why He is not showing up in our life the way we want. Maybe it is "traitor" when He seems to let bad things happen to us (or people we care about). There may be other names you put to it or have heard, but nevertheless, when names like this are used, we are not only falsely labeling Him but also being immature to understand Him fully.
• Picking a Spot ~ In life we simply must pick a spot when it comes to following Jesus. Some like to take advantage of His grace by choosing things that may not be "bad," categorically, but may take us away from our walk with Christ. Examples are jobs, money, family, school, relationships, and sports/hobbies. When those things become our pseudo gods, then we are getting into dangerous territory. To compromise our values can become quicksand to our faith. Let us pick a spot so we know where we stand and bounce our choices off of the spot we stand!

There have been times in which making a decision was difficult. Sometimes the more the options the harder it is to make that decision. When I have "birthday money" I have a difficult time wondering what I am going to spend it on. There are simply too many choices. However, if my options are lessened, then it may be easy. Maybe my money from my birthday is the same amount, but I am limited by being given gift cards, which must be spent at a particular place. From this, I may still have some choices, but the choices are limited because of where the gift cards came from.

When it comes to Jesus, we must decide which side of the line we are going to be at...are we going to be with Him or against Him? You choose...

Now it's your turn...what choices or instances have been most difficult to choose between following Him or not following Him?

RESTORE: A New Community

June of 1999, my wife, sister-in-law and I were traveling through Southern Colorado on our way back from a family reunion. We stopped at a gas station to fill-up and go to the restroom. I went to the restroom, came out, paid for the gasoline and went back out to the car to find my wife and sister-in-law laughing. Long story short, my sister-in-law had misread the bathroom sign and used the men's restroom. On top of that, she was in there when I was using the restroom. This continues to be a story that we laugh about.

The journey that was taken was filled with good memories. I could continue to write about moments I've had with people - some resulting in a lot of laughs, some resulting in laughs afterwards.

One continual journey is parenting. I enjoy seeing my kids learn life. I enjoy having those teachable moments come about and then seeing things "sink in." I have had my moments of learning, as well. The journey brings about a newness of knowledge and application.

As the Christian goes from conversion to heaven, there is a journey. This journey is to get as many people join in with this new life as possible. All those people who join in to create a new community. A community that presents a bigger, new life. With all that said, here are some applications to choose from to use this week...

• Need for Togetherness ~ God, when setting up mankind, said "it was not good for man to be alone." We are created to be together with others. Sometimes that pertains to marriage and other times it means that we work better in life being with others. Being all by yourself presents several negative things, but we need to think about being with people as we go through life. The church that Jesus set up creates a great environment for togetherness. Let's get some more to come along with us in this eternal life journey.
• Exciting Times ~ Excitement is attractive. When you're excited others will be excited. Though the church community is not as new as the church in Acts 2, you can choose to get excited and promote the excitement to others. Then they will get excited, then others will get excited and the snowball continues. Get excited! Be excited!
• Being Sent Out ~ As Jesus sent out a group of individuals ahead of Him, we, too, are sent out. We are being sent and He, in a sense, follows up as we plant-and-water, plant-and-water. This is very exciting for me to think that God is following behind when I am planting-and-watering. As a Christian, you are being sent out - enjoy the privilege.

To go from rundown to restored is a journey. The journey is part of the joy. This all brings about a new community of those who are restored. I enjoy joining in with God in the effort to bring others along in this journey, adding to the new community.

Now it's your turn...how have you been impacted positively in the new community?

Achieve the Splendid...I Dare You!

I am simply fascinated by people who do great things with their life. Those that make significant impacts in their community, school, job, family, church, etc. are things that I never tire of hearing about. How about you?

I tear up so often when it comes to seeing kids perform in music, plays, or other art areas. I am touched by people who are able to touch other people's lives. No matter if you do something significant or help out someone to allow them to do something significant, you still did something significant. That brings us to this week's quote...

Nothing splendid has ever been achieved except by those who dared to believe that something inside them was superior to circumstance. ~ Bruce Barton

We must be willing to be open to doing something splendid. Splendid things do not just happen, generally. Even in the lives of people who had riches, for example, fall into their lap, it was probably because a person born before them did something significant.

So what will you dare to do? What is it that you believe in yourself that you can do which you will seek to achieve?

The circumstances to get you there may not be the easiest, but the sweetness that comes from the victory will be well worth it!

Now it's your turn...What will you dare to do that is "splendid?" I look forward to the stories that follow...

Fall: Fall With Thanksgiving

What are some things you are thankful for this year? Some would say family, faith, job, friends, health and home. What else are you thankful that you have? What about eyesight, sanity, knowledge, any material blessings, experience, life-lessons, etc.

It is easy to get wrapped up in the things we have and this time of year seems to bring about the thankfulness in all of us.

I just sold something on eBay and checked to see if I had feedback yet. I did. It was nice to see the appreciation coming through in the feedback. If the customer had not ever left feedback, I'd begin to wonder if they'd received the package and if they liked their purchase. Since they had left feedback, I now know.

That brings me to the point of thinking that God, as much as He loves us, must really enjoy hearing our "thanks" expressed to Him. What do you think?

Sunday we looked at Psalm 95 as our inspiration for the last in the "Fall" series as we "fall with thanksgiving." Here are some applications to choose from to use this week...

• Fall ~ This week would be a good time to do something out of the ordinary and take time to pray on your knees. Don't forget to thank God a lot before you ask for things!
• With ~ Don't do it alone. As you are praising God, whether it is in your prayers or singing a song, have someone join in with you - family, spouse, friends, etc. Do it with someone!
• Thanksgiving ~ There are simply a lot of things to be thankful for. Maybe your life is going downhill or is "in the toilet." Those are difficult times to see the good. Regardless, challenge yourself to try to find at least 10 positive things in your life to appreciate or be thankful for this week!

One of my favorite things is to sit down at Thanksgiving with my family and to say the things that we are thankful for. It is neat to hear everyone's responses.

May you have a blessed Thanksgiving!

Now it's your turn...what is something you are thankful for? Even something "unusual"...

Progressive Minded

When I was a young child to teen and I would go visit my extended family (most lived in the same town at the time) I didn't want to spend much time with my mom's side of the family. This was basically because there were no cousins near my age and the only thing that seemed to happen at my maternal grandmother's house (or later on, my maternal aunt's house) would be visiting. It was boring to me. Nothing to do (except get into trouble with my brother). I would ask and ask and ask if I could go over to my cousin's house, on my dad's side. I loved it there. So much to do! He always seemed to have the coolest toys - including a pinball machine and a go cart!

I could not simply sit around. I wanted to be moving and going in the direction of my cousin. That was where happiness was for me.

In life, things should be the same way. To sit around means we are not going anywhere. To be moving toward a goal means we are heading into something usually better. That brings us to this week's quote...

Happiness and success are to be found in forward motion. ~ Unknown

As I minister in a church, I aim to get people going. I think that having a "happy" faith-life, you need to be moving also. If we are not going anywhere, we are simply stagnate. To be progressive sometimes will have a bad rapport with people. Thinking one is "liberal" in their theological mindset. On the contrary, one can be the most conservative, but yet still be moving forward - it may simply be a bit slower than others.

Whether you are a business person or a patron, moving forward has its definite successes. May you find them in your daily tasks, as well as, your epic tasks! 

Now it's you're turn!

What do you think? Can there be happiness and success found when you're moving forward? Feel free to leave a comment...  

Blossom First

Each of us has reasons we pursue the things we pursue. There is some sort of a gain that we are all trying to reach. It could be personal fulfillment to job promotion or a host of other reasons. All in all, we still have a reason.

Some reasons may be with a hopefulness that will never turn out like we would hope for. For example, the job promotion doesn't come after achieving the goals we were working toward.

Could it be that what we are "hoping" for is actually not what we should have been hoping for in the first place? With that in mind, here is this week's quote...

The flower doesn't dream of the bee...It blossoms and the bee comes. ~ Unknown

Most are probably familiar with the cliche that comes from the movie "Field of Dreams" that goes "If you build it they will come." This phrase is occasionally overused and people are overly optimistic in their endeavors to "build" so as to have people come.

When we are pondering the goals we are trying to reach in life, we should not be trying to accomplish them to attract the bees. We should be trying to reach our goal to fulfill something within ourselves. When this is done, the bees will most likely come.

Whether you are writing a book or furthering your education or doing something nice for a friend/neighbor, the underlying reason should be to cause your flower to bloom, after that look for the bees!

A Man Who Had Two Sons

How many people are in your family/household? In my household we have the “ideal” family of four. One gender of each child. We are blessed, not because of our family’s make-up, just because we are a family.

Family consists of a group of individuals with a common tie. Maybe it is ancestry or common beliefs. We all come into a biological family but are you a part of a family group outside your biological family?

Another question is “Are you committed to that family?” Each family needs to be have commitment behind it. Without commitment the relationship is fragile.

As we looked at the eleventh verse of Luke 15 that read “a man who had two sons.” The verse simply mentioned the concept that the man had a family which consisted of two sons. Family is where we are focusing with our applications to choose from to use this week…

• Appreciate ~ Your family is unique, whether biological or spiritual. Either way, you are blood related. Being related by blood should keep you appreciating each other, even when you may not like each other too well, for whatever reason. Family is forever
• Celebrate ~ If you were to win a big lottery amount, you’d likely want to go out and celebrate. In essence, as family is priceless, you’ve won the lottery. May we take time to celebrate the family that we’ve been blessed with.
• Love ~ This is the “I’ll do about anything for you” kind of love. This goes past just about anything that is said by people. This is the “action” side of things – what will you do to prove it. With your family, love them. Do everything possible to show you care and that they matter.

Family is important. Family is priceless. Family is forever. Through it all, we’re still family.

 

Are You Full?

Tryptophan that great ingredient found in turkey that gives us the excuse to take a nap after we have our Thanksgiving feast. You will probably experience some of that feeling this week.

In actuality, it is not the tryptophan. As I read somewhere once, tryptophan is also found in other things we eat which do not cause us to be tired. One that I remember is peanut butter. I’ve never felt a sudden desire to nap after having a PB&J sandwich. What causes the sudden desire for napping is the overload of carbohydrates that we eat during our meal. If you think about it, you try not to snack so you can have the meal, then when you do you eat and eat and eat.

Sunday, we discussed being full, how we can be full in a different way, as we focused on four different areas. Here are some applications to choose from to use this week…

Beauti-full ~ Each one of us is “full of beauty” in various ways. Too often we think of beauty being about the physical nature of life, but looking closer it is more than that. Plus it is important to see yourself as God sees you…a “work of art”! (Ephesians 2:10) Let that knowledge lift your chin and walk upright and be proud of the way God made you…beautiful!

Cheer-full ~ The iconic character of Santa Claus is jolly and cheerful. That aura of Santa is part of what draws people in to him. If you’ve ever seen a movie that depicted Santa as unhappy or depressed it just really takes you down a few notches. The part that draws you in with a motivational speaker is their cheerfulness and motivation. Think about how you can reflect Him this week by being cheerful.

Power-full ~ People like to possess things that are powerful. Men will generally fall into this category as they like things more powerful. However, anything sluggish is not good by anyone’s definition. Knowing you have power behind you is something that encourages. As you go into the future, know that you have God behind you and that is so much power, you will be amazed! Be encouraged…be powerful!

Thank-full ~ It is easy to not be as thankful as you should be. It is easy to receive something and become busy, forgetting to let someone know you appreciated that which you received. It is easy to overlook all the things which have had their “shine” wear off. May we remember the little things, the little people, and all the other “littles” in our life to be thankful for!

Be full this week…full on beauty, cheer, power, and thanks!!!

 

Being a Family, “Man” Style

Sunday, I had the chance to hear instead of speak.  It doesn’t happen very often due to my profession being a minister.  

The guest speaker spoke on “family”.  This is a subject that I really think is an incentive for people who are looking for Jesus.  However, relationships are what women tend to be wanting to be involved in.  Think about it, relationships involve closeness, talking, sharing of feelings, and that is pretty much the opposite of what men are attracted to, especially those who are not WANTING church.

Are you one of those guys or is your significant other one of those guys?  A church offers “small groups” and that is, again, the opposite of what you are looking for in church.  That is about “talking” or “getting close”.  The males reading this, specifically those from 14-50 (give or take) may not care about those issues that involve “being a family”.  These types of guys are generally looking to be “islands”.  They are willing to help out on projects, but do not want to be involved in ongoing “getting to know each other” activities. Men tend to want to act like ostriches by burying our head in the sand and not talking about issues.

The problem is, we all have issues.  The other problem is that we are not cut out to handle all the issues that life hands us.  Whether we like it or not, as men, we want help, but are too prideful to ask for it.

We may not need “friends” but we men want other men to grunt with, share beverages with, high-five, exchange “did you see that [dunk…catch…flip…crash…etc.]”, or complain to.
Sometime, somewhere, life is going to hand us, men, a blow that is too big to handle.  Death, disease, bankruptcy, infidelity, addiction, etc. What do you do?  That is where you need someone to turn to.  Have trust issues?  The “family” may be the only people you can trust…family are those that do not turn their backs on you.

Family isn’t about talking, but about having those who you can be masculine around and still know that they have your back.

“Family” may not be the best “manly” word.  Brotherhood, team, fraternity, or lodge may seem more “manly”.  However, it is all the same, in essence.

What the church offers has all the components of those other “manly” words, but they do not offer the opportunity for heaven.

Sometime, somewhere you, as a man, are going to be interested in what “family” can do for you…I will be waiting for that time to show you how “manly” Christianity can be!

Prayer: For Such a Time as This - NDOP 2010

When is a good time for prayer? Always.  The question could be twisted up a bit to ask "When isn't a good time for prayer?"  Prayer is needed all the time.  That prayer could be of praise, thanksgiving, or petition.  One or more of those could be said at any given time.  It doesn't matter if it is about your life, job, health, or family.  Something good is happening.  Something to be thankful for is happening. Something needed is happening.

On Thursday, May 6th many people around the country will take part in the observance of the National Day of Prayer.  This years theme is "For Such a Time as This" and the scripture that is being used is from Nahum 1:7, "The LORD is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in Him". 

Locally, the Thomas County Ministerial Association will hold their annual observance on the lawn of the Thomas County Courthouse, from 12:15-12:45.  We are trying to respect people's time and, at the same time, would like to have as many people as possible take part in this activity.

The National Day of Prayer Task Force has set up seven areas to be praying about seven days a week: 1) government, 2) military, 3) media, 4) business, 5) education, 6) church, and 7) family.  These areas pretty much sum up the areas most would think about that needs to be prayed over.

Our government is always in need of prayer.  Democrat or Republican, it doesn't matter who the person in office is, they need prayers.  Local or national, each section of the government has to make decisions that impact all of us, in one way or another.  Pray for those in office.

Our military is in danger somewhere at all times.  Right now we may focus on the Middle East, but something could happen right here in our own country.  You may have family or friends in the military that are serving short or long commitments.  As I am reminded of our country's freedom, I not only appreciate those who serve, but want to pray for them as well.

The media does a lot to make sure that the news is covered.  It is not the easiest to keep people informed.  The media does a lot to cover local and national news.  Plus, there are a lot of people that work behind the scenes to help make the news, in any form, get to you. 

Economy.  Such a buzzword these days.  The economy has taken a plunge and is trying to grasp at about anything to get back up.  One positive point is that agriculture hasn't been too affected by this downturn.  That is good news for us who live in an agricultural area.  However, businesses themselves can come in and leave if we aren't able to support them.  Let's try to support local when we can. This will help our own economy.

Kansas is not in great shape in its education arena. Some of the reason has to do with the business and economy part of the state.  Locally, it has been hit hard. Loss of state aid has caused a loss of jobs and a loss of transportation within our school system.  Trying to grasp at various areas of which to save, many districts have cut raises, as well.  This also has had an effect on the retired educators as well.  Our local schools and administrators are needing your prayers on a constant basis to be able to have a quality education for our youth.

Churches are struggling as well. The smaller the church, the more difficult is it.  Whether it is from an economic standpoint or a spiritual one, there is always an obstacle. Pray for your church, its leaders, and its mission.

Family has changed over the years.  Unfortunately, the busier people get, the more difficult it becomes on their marriages and family.  Hence, I believe, it takes even more work than it used to take to have a good marriage and a strong family.  Kids are busy so evening meals are seldom.  Parents are working odd hours, so their not home with their kids.  Even when the family is at home, are they doing much together in quality time or are media devices (TV, cell phone, computer) taking precedence?  Let's pray that a new trend will emerge where family time is a priority.

Be praying.  Are you in a "time of trouble"? Be praying.  Keep these areas in mind as you look to be taking praises and petitions to God over the next year because "such a time as this" that we need prayer!

I Give Up...Something I Treasure - Ruth 2:8-13

I am such the father of a 2-year old that watches Backyardigans (a cartoon on Nickelodeon) because as I looked at the word "treasure" in the title, I started singing a song that the Backyardigans sing on one of their "adventures".

We all treasure things. By that I don't mean that it is necessarily one of the top ten things that is on our list of favorites. Rather, I simply mean that we value it greatly, whether we realize it or not.  Take for instance, complaining.  You may not realize how much you treasure it, but if you find yourself doing it a lot, you probably "treasure" it.  

Yesterday, we continued our search into the idea of "giving up".  Not quitting, in the negative sense, but rather, in the positive.  Thinking of things that you might be able to give up for a "season" that will cause a void in your life, which, in turn, would hopefully, draw you closer to Him.  Here are some applications to choose from to use this week...

1. Self-Reflect ~ If you haven't given something up, yet, think about some things that you value.  Foods, hobbies, habits, etc.  Then, decide that you would like to make a small change and choose to give that up...the series is only 2 more weeks!
2. Consider ~ Think about what God gave up in His only Son?  He gave up part of His "family" for you.  Think of the pain that was involved.  The tough love that was expressed in Him having to turn His back on Jesus so that His body beaten and pierced and blood dripped for you and me.
3. Imitate ~ I don't think anything will ever compare to Jesus' death for us.  However, as a way of imitating what God did, try to give something up so that you will experience a bit of discomfort for this short time.

Jesus said that even if we have to give up something as important as family, for His sake, there will be a great reward for us, in the end.  I would bet you have some sort of a family core that you value.  However, to think of them higher than Him is not what He desires.  Put Him first...Seek first the Kingdom...the rewards will follow.

May you see the benefits of trying to give up something in order to draw closer to Him!

Biggest Loser: Unpriority Priorities

We're all probably guilty of allowing something small become big enough to get in our way by ruining our mood/day or causing us to put other things to the back burner.  Waking up late isn't that big of a deal but we may allow it to have some major impacts on the day.  We could deal with it and understand that this is the situation and not allow things to be affected by it.  I could write several examples of areas where we allow the little things to grow to sizes they shouldn't become close to growing.

Life tends to be filled up with lots of little things: daily duties, new duties, unexpected twists.  With those little things that fill us up we may lose focus on the "one thing" that Jesus spoke of when He was in a teachable moment with Martha and Mary.

As life hands us things that "pack on the weight", we need to think about how we can shed some of that extra poundage so that we will live a healthier life for Him.  One way to think about that is to understand that we tend to prioritize things that are not much of a priority.  Therefore, we need to unprioritize the priorities.  Yesterday, we discussed that, leaping off from Habakkuk 3:17-18.  Here are some applications you can choose to use this week...

1. Make a List (literally or figuratively) ~ Over the next week you may want to make a list of the different areas in which you tend to give your attention to.  Think about those areas and see if they are important - really important.  Are some of them taking you or your attention away from the things that are actual priorities?  If so, put your priorities first and the one of less priority after.
2. Accountability ~ Grab someone to be your partner to make sure that you are following up on your newly found habit.
3. Rejoice in the Lord ~ Take time to count your blessings.  This is helpful all the time, but when life doesn't seem to be going well for you, realizing your blessings can make a big difference.
4. Praise God ~ Thank Him for the things you like in your life.  However, do not limit it to that.  You may want to praise Him for the areas you don't realize are worth praising about.  Praise Him for all the little things - name some of them.  Praise Him for bigger things by naming some of them, too.  Praising Him humbles us and encourages us.
5. Don't Worry...Be Happy ~ Easier said than done, that's for sure. If you're like me you worry or analyze things that shouldn't.  Those habits weigh you down.  I can't even think to imagine how many things I have forgotten to do because I was worrying about something else.  It is really frustrating, which doesn't make one happy.  So, try to reduce your "caloric intake" of worry, so that you will have room to concentrate.

As the week progresses keep in mind the little things that are collecting on your plate.  Are they beginning to weigh you down?  There may be nothing wrong with these things.  You don't necessarily have to avoid them, just be disciplined enough to put them to the bottom of your list, so they do not cloud with the most important.  Some of these "least important" may be what you are carrying around with you continually, just like fat on a body.  Do you put more emphasis on your job or your friends than you do your family?  Do you rush to the phone the moment a text message comes in, even if it is conflicting with other events going on at that time (time with family, school, job, etc.), not realizing that the message isn't that urgent, generally.

Have a great week shedding the calories of "unpriority priorities" and "ME" (from last week).

 

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A Nearby Light

When I was a small child, due to the arrangement of our house, I would share a bed with my sister on Christmas Eve. This way, I was not inclined to hear Santa come and deliver the gifts. One year I woke up in the middle of the night, hoping that St. Nick had come, when I looked and saw the shadows of reindeer on the window. "HE'S HERE!" I thought. Oh, I couldn't sleep after that, but what kid could! Somewhere in that scene my sister woke up. We talked about it and she questioned if I saw what I saw was truly what I thought I saw, or not. But there was no convincing me otherwise. I don't know what it actually was, but we all know what it wasn't!

Sometimes seeing a shadow can be fun and mysterious, but there are other times when it is not fun. Times when your imagination may take what you see and turn it into something frightening. Worse yet, when what you see is something frightening! Shadows are interesting "things". They can be mysterious to the young person just learning. They can play tricks with your mind. But all in all, they are still shadows. This brings us to this week's quote...

Never fear shadows.
They simply mean there's a light somewhere nearby. ~ Ruth E. Renkee

Fear can be mind numbing. We play something over and over in our minds for so long that we dread what is out there. We've probably all been in situations where a shadow has brought about fear. Once the fear entered, we were unable to rest.

I enjoyed this quote regarding shadows because it points out that even when we may be a bit fearful of things, as a result of a shadow, that the light that is nearby is comforting. Some of you may not know that what Jesus brought to us was shadowed in the Old Testament. For example, the ritualistic and ongoing sacrifices that the Jews performed for the atonement for their sins was just a shadow. Jesus' sacrifice for all, was the light that cast that shadow to the people of the Old Testament. Knowing that Jesus' sacrifice was good enough for all, especially numero uno, shouldn't cause us to be fearful, but to be excited!

Light is always what causes a shadow. Look for the light in each situation.

Rule #1: We Are Family

The Ron Clark Story came out in 2006, and when I saw the preview I knew I wanted to see it. When I saw it, I hoped I could have the movie. The dilemma was, it was a TV movie, not out in theaters. Thankfully, after some research, I found out it was made to DVD...and thanks to my beautiful wife, this Christmas she bought it for me.

Ron establishes several rules for his classroom, 55 to date. One of the first ones that he put in his classroom was the one that is in the picture...We are family. This applies so much to church life. As a new chapter begins in my life, this was a strong point that I want people to understand. Here are some applications to use from this lesson...

1. Pray for each person in the church on a regular basis.
2. Pray when something/someone bothers you.
3. Pray for ways you can be of service to your family
   
4. Approach someone when you have concerns
5. Encourage, commend, congratulate, uplift, and anything else positive that you can think of to those who are in the family.
6. Be the first to put your hand out to greet someone or to hug someone's neck
7. Reflect on your imperfection before you point out someone else's.
8. Appreciate those who are in your family - even if you have to look a while to find something to appreciate.

Click on the title, Ron Clark Story Trailer, to go to a website to see the trailer, especially if you have never seen the movie before.

This movie is probably one of my top ten movies, specifically in the drama category. It is very inspirational to try to help others know more!

Appreciating my "family"!

A New Found...Togetherness - Acts 2:44

Family reunions are times that tend to bring people from all different places and backgrounds to a common spot. These times are filled with catching up with loved ones, seeing how people have changed, and enjoying good food.

As a church, we are a family. I like to think about the opportunities that we have to get together, both formally and informally, as "family reunions". These are times that we get to catch up with each other, see if people are different than the last time we saw them, and, sometimes, enjoy good food. Each week I look forward to seeing the "family" and catching up with their lives, while sharing a bit of my life with them.

As we've been examining the "early church", from Acts chapter two, we've seen how their actions created a great growth pattern. This is a challenge for us see the principle and see what we can do to help the church of today grow. Here are a few applications to choose from...

1. As electronic devices become "in sync" with each other, to make sure they both have the same information, how do you "sync up" with your Christian brother or sister? Or, do you even attempt to do that with others? Do you pick out your "favorites" and neglect the others? If you do fall into that last category, try to pick out someone new each week to talk to that doesn't sit by you or not someone you normally visit with.
   
2. There is strength in numbers. One snowflake has no chance of surviving when it lands on your skin, as it will melt quickly. However, several put together can freeze your skin. You up against Satan/temptation/evil are going to have a very difficult task at winning. However, take God along, you're a majority. In addition to that, have a good group of brethren helping you through a struggle/difficult time, and you have a strong resource group to pull from.
3. A healthy church is striving to get from one place to the next. Pray that your church and its leadership can be unified so that it will have success in making it to its goal.
4. Who sits by themselves in your church? Who sits by themselves at lunch/breaks or goes to lunch/breaks on their own? Look for those people to see how you can get to know them - it may be the day when they needed that attention you give them the most.
   

The overwhelming majority of people like to have friends. Friends create a place of comfort and warmth. A place you can go to in times of trouble. A person you can call in the middle of the night. They are important and they are what the church should be made up of.

If you are struggling with something, I don't want you to be "alone" and I will be willing to pray for you if you e-mail me at ichthus_man@hotmail.com. You can be as open or discreet as you choose.

May God be with you as you enjoy the "togetherness" that is one of the ingredients of the "early church" that helped launch its growth.

Looking forward to the next "family reunion"...

Getaway

Summer is a common time for families to go on trips. Kids are out of school and the weather is good; a good time for traveling. Vacations allow for adults to get away from work for a period of time, too. Getaways provide for families to grow together, as this may be one of the few times they can be together for period of time without the interruptions of life. Now that summer time is ending, getaways will be coming to an end.

Where do you like to go? A few years ago, my wife and I went to the Mt. Rushmore area and camped for over a week. We were with my in-laws and we didn't have any kind of "schedule" and it ended up being very relaxing. It also gave me a refueling to return to my job. That brings us to this quote...

Travel and change of place impart new vigor to the mind. ~Seneca

We are in a state of traveling at the moment. It has been nice to get away from the normal life and take a "road trip" with my wife and son. We have been meeting new people and seeing family. We are not going to be done for about a week, and we are yet to meet more new people. I have been able to clean out the "mind" and forget about things at home (well, kind of forget) to enjoy the trip.

Traveling, whether it is just out for a country drive or a trip, has held true for me to the point of this quote. I like getting away and allowing the "renewing the vigor of the mind".

May you have opportunities to get away to renew your vigor or reflect back on your family trips as memories to remind you how blessed you are to have the family you have been given.

Getting away...