Merry Christmas

Not too much on my mind this week. Looking forward to a great Christmas with the family. Amazed that Isaac has left the presents under the tree alone! He has certainly gotten into this whole Christmas thing. He even picked out a couple of his toys that he could give to a little boy or girl who wasn't getting toys this Christmas. He digs Santa, he kinda understands Jesus being born, so we're going to have to keep working on getting him to understand why we get to celebrate this season every year.

Maybe that's the challenge to all of us. To make sure we remember why we celebrate this season. No real words of wisdom to help with that fact. Call a friend, call a family member, call a neighbor you haven't talked to in a long time and wish them a Merry Christmas. Spread the Spirit of Christ!

Merry Christmas

Let it snow!

Wow! There are piles of snow everywhere. It is not even the middle of December and Tri-Center has used both of it's built in snow days, and I'm not sure Minden has any more places it can pile the snow. Isaac keeps wondering when it's going to warm up so he can go outside and the snow will melt. I told him to brace for a long winter!

I like a Facebook post that I read this morning about people risking their lives, and the lives of rescuers who have to help them if stranded, by going to work in this terrible weather. The post stated that maybe they should take this snow day as a sign from God that you should stay home and recuperate and/or spend time with family. (not a direct quote but the general gist of the posting) I could not agree more. I suppose some jobs are vital, and that if you don't show up for one day you'll either be fired our the company will crumble. Although my hunch is those types of positions are far and few between. Is it really worth life and limb to get to work when the Interstates are closed, or at least no travel is advised, and the two lane highways are impassible? Does your boss really expect you to risk it all for one days work? You mean to tell me there is no way you can make up for it the next few days if you have to? I guess I'm not in the corporate world, and for good reason, but I find it hard to believe any one person is that valuable where they can't miss a day when the weather is horrible.

I mean today was a bullet proof excuse to stay home. Spend some time with the kids, the grandkids, your spouse. Spend some time alone just recharging. People always talk about how busy they are, and then they're presented with a golden chance to take some time for themselves but they can't bring themselves to do it. Is our work truly that important? I know jobs are important, but worth risking your life for over missing one day? I think we get so tied into our jobs because a lot of our self-worth and self-esteem are tied into our careers. How high we are on the social ladder is dependent on how much we make or what our careers are. Our identity is tied into our jobs, and that is sad. Who we are is not what we do for a living? Yes our careers tell us a bit about ourselves and where we are in life, but they have no representation on what kind of a person we are. Yes what we do for a living is a big part of our lives, but our jobs should not be our sole source of identity. Because we tie our self-identity so closely with our jobs we feel that we have to be there all the time, we have to over perform, the company can't go on without us, and God forbid what happens if we miss some time and the company still goes on? Does that mean we're replaceable? I have news for you...we are all replaceable.

If I could be known for one thing in this world, it would be that I was a good father. I certainly want to succeed at my job, but not at the continued expense of my family. Yes there are times when the job interferes with family life, but I will not let it become the norm. If the job demands too much of me then maybe I'm in the wrong line of work. If I can't take one day, when the weather is horrible, and spend it at home with the family because I can't stand missing any work or don't think I can, for even one day, then maybe my priorities are messed up. God provides opportunities for us to recharge and reconnect. Are we missing them because we believe we're too busy? Where are our priorities? Sometime else to chew on besides goodies this Christmas Season!

Being Thankful

The forgotten holiday...That's what my dad mentioned on Saturday when we were discussing plans around Thanksgiving. Is that what Thanksgiving has become? The holiday sandwiched between Halloween and Christmas? I understand why it happens. Halloween is a multibillion dollar holiday and Christmas is a multibillion dollar holiday. Thanksgiving isn't nearly the money maker so the consumer driven society tends to push it aside. But the Friday after is certainly a holiday! Just ask my wife! I think we need to be careful ourselves to make sure we don't forget Thanksgiving, and more importantly the spirit of the holiday. I know we've heard it so much, but we need to pause and truly give thanks for how lucky we have it.

As I was lying in bed this morning wondering if Alex(my 3 month old) was going to get up or not and I tried to name all the stuff I was thankful for. Lately I've just had this gnawing sense that I need to be more mindful of how good I truly have it. To that end, I thought I would earnestly try to name all the things I'm thankful for. As I was going along I found that I take a lot of things for granted...A LOT! For instance I woke up, which is a good start to any day, I was in a nice comfortable, warm bed. I had warm water instantly, I flipped on the TV to catch game highlights. Heck, when my first concern is who won the football game last night I know I have a lot to be thankful for. I had whatever I wanted for breakfast at hand and I had a job to go to. These are things to be thankful for and I haven't even left the house yet. Oh yeah I have a roof over my head. I have a great family, both immediate and far away. The list could literally go on and on...but how often do we actually feel thankful and grateful for all we have. Compared to much of the world I'm living as royalty and I hardly ever think of that thought when I'm complaining that my coffee is cold or not sweetened right! We truly have no idea how good we have it, and the one day we should truly try to be grateful is in danger of becoming Black Friday Eve and Thanksgiving will be forgotten.

I know I can never be grateful enough for what I have and what I've been given. The only way I can even try is to attempt to live the best life I can. Giving as much of myself as I can to help others. Trying to live the example that Jesus Christ gave us. Trying to be the best human being that I can. I know I'll fall short, but if I put for the honest effort and try to be better each time I fail then I'll truly be doing all I can to be say thanks for everything. Think of the difference in the world if we all tried to live like that. Will you try with me?

God's Energy

I have a confession to make. This past Sunday I had zero energy to do church when I got up in the morning. Do you ever have one of those mornings when you get up and all you want to do is go back to bed? You don't have the gumption to face the day and a few more hours spent under the covers would be perfect. Well that was me on Sunday. I can't even blame Alex for keeping us up because he slept pretty good. I don't know what it was. I didn't feel very perky. I asked Tracy if she wanted to preach for me and she politely declined. So I got up and went about my day. Amazingly the Spirit met me at the church doors and I was given the shot in the arm that I needed. Those that were at the worship service on Sunday can be the judge if that shot did any good, but it sure helped me out mentally and spiritually. Now if that dumb computer would only get that shot!

I'm amazed at how many times I have found myself grumpy or low on energy or feeling sorry for myself and had the Spirit come and lift me up. Sometimes I ask for it and sometimes I don't, but each time I certainly needed it and knew I was in the presence of something greater than myself. Ever have those experiences? I hope so. Isn't it wonderful that we have a God that loves us enough, and knows us well enough, that he enters our lives and gives us a boost when we need it most? The creator of the universe has the time to interject in our lives. Truly amazing when you think about it.

The question then moves to how do we thank God for all God has done for us? Do we say a little prayer of thanksgiving? A prayer would be a good start. Do we reflect that grace and mercy shown to us in our own lives? I think living a life that is Spirit filled would be the best way to show God our gratitude for all that has been done for us. During adult Sunday school we discussed what the difference was between being religious and having a relationship with Jesus. One main difference we all agreed on was that having a relationship means our lives have to reflect what we believe and profess. One can be religious...say and do all the right things, but still have no relationship and no evidence of God in the lives. It is impossible to have a true relationship with Jesus, God and/or the Spirit and not have that evidenced in your life.

I left the Sunday school with a question, and I'm going to close with this same question: "If someone who didn't know you at all looked at your life, would they be able to tell you have a relationship with Jesus, God and/or the Spirit?" Take a good look at the life you're living. Could a neutral observer tell you are a Christian? Look beyond church attendance and see if the life you live reflects the words you read in Scripture. I'll admit that I don't always like the answer when I ask myself that question. I try to ask it often and it serves as a reminder that a true relationship has to be reflected in my life. What's reflected in yours?

Great Day!

I apologize that I haven't updated the blog for awhile. I was on vacation and then the week after vacation just got away from me. I hope that you were able to control the craving for my postings during that 2 week absence. I imagine it was tough for many of you! Not sure I should mention this our not, since it is salary discussion time around here, but I just spent the better part of this morning with the family at the Omaha Zoo. It was a gorgeous day, the kids and Tracy behaved themselves and we had a great time. We could have spent the entire day watching a baby gorilla and the baby orangutans playing with burlap sacks. It was also funny to watch a couple gorillas eat. Both were in the same cage and there was two of everything for them but they would hold as much as the could and eat as fast as they could for fear the other might get something of theirs. Good times.

We decided to go to the zoo with the kids because Tracy is going back to work on Wednesday so our amount of free time will be cut and we won't be able to just pack up and go as easily. We wanted to spend one last day at the zoo just strolling around before the hectic schedule of the holidays picks up and life begins to whiz by. I spent the entire day just relishing the time and laughing at Isaac and the stuff he comes up with. What I wouldn't give for the ability to know what a 3 year old is thinking.

I'm sure in the years to come we'll look back on times like these and wish for them again. When the pressures of school and sports and all that comes with growing up makes us wish for the "good ole" days when our biggest worries were colds, keeping sight of the kids, and hoping they learn to share. I find myself torn between the excitement of wanting the kids to grow and watching them learn and mature and the sadness knowing that we can never get these days back again.

You really do have to stop and smell the roses if you will. As life continues to flash by at light speed I wonder if we need to slow down and enjoy our relationship with the Spirit more too. I've spoken and written a lot about our need to make sure we have devotional time with God. I also think we need to make sure we enjoy the relationship with have with God. What I mean by enjoy is that we need to stop comparing our spiritual journey and life with others and be thankful with what we have. Of course our relationship could be better, and we need to be diligent in strengthening the relationship, but we also need to learn that our relationship is ours and not to be compared with others. When life is going good and cruising along we need to recognize that and be thankful and just soak it up. Because, we know that eventually life will turn and we'll be longing for the "good ole" days. I also believe that if we take the time to acknowledge and enjoy our relationship with God, when we can, then when the tough times come we'll have memories of the better times and be reassured that they will come again. Just like we can miss great chances to experience wonderful things with our family if we get lost in the busyness, we can miss chances to strengthen and enjoy more fully our relationship with the Spirit if we only acknowledge it and use it when times are tough. So I urge you to spend some quality time with loved ones, and to spend some quality time with God. Both are wonderful chances to recharge and get us ready for the daily grind that is ahead.

It's MY money!

I don't usually do this, but I want to recap the sermon I gave on Sunday. I'm not recapping it because I have any delusions it was a wonderfully delivered sermon. I think the lesson for us is too important to not hear it again. If you heard the sermon then yes I am talking about money...specifically what you do with your money. (Please keep reading)

Before you get all excited this isn't a plea for you to give more money to the church. On the other hand, it is a challenge as to what we do with our money. I want to start off with a quote I heard once from somewhere. I think it was a seminary professor or someone: "Show me a person's checkbook and I'll show you what they love." Apply that to your checkbook. Where does most of the money go? Church, non-profits helping the less fortunate, restaurants, entertainment, kids, house? Now, let's be clear...I'm not saying your church or charitable giving should out pace your mortgage, for some maybe it should, but for the vast majority of us that truly isn't realistic. But, does your giving outpace your shopping or coffee budget? If you were to tally up your giving to church and helping the less fortunate is it a priority or only something that happens if you have some money left over? I guess the question is how important is your faith to you? Money is a huge part of our lives, and it is addressed by Jesus over and over again in the Bible. If the church and our faith life is important, does our checkbook reflect that, or is giving them money just an after thought? Money is a giant part of our lives. To think it isn't part of our faith life is foolish. How we handle and what we do with money is vital to our faith life.

I'll admit to you two things. I am not bragging or wanting to show off. I want to let you know that I am trying to practice what I preach. My wife and I come close to giving 10% of our income back to the church. The second thing I want to let you know is that we could certainly do better, and that we are going to do better. 10% is not a magical number in my book, but it is something Tracy and I have decided to strive for. For some people 1% of their income would be a big sacrifice. What you give is between you and God, but God is calling you do take an honest look and challenge yourself to do better. How long has it been since your giving has gone up?

The Gospel lesson that spurred this sermon topic is the story of the rich young ruler found in Mark. The rich man asks Jesus what he must do to inherit eternal life and after a short conversation Jesus tells him he must sell all of his possessions and come follow Jesus. The young man goes away sad because he cannot, or at least could not right then. Jesus then says it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than a rich person to enter into the kingdom of heaven. I tended to think Jesus was talking about all those rich celebrities and athletes and business moguls, but then I saw some statistics that showed that most, if not all of us, are in at least the top 10% of richest people in the world. Compared to the rest of the world we in America are extremely wealthy. So Jesus is talking to us.

Does this mean if we are considered rich we can't enter heaven? Does it mean that in order to enter heaven we need to sell all of our stuff? Probably not, but Jesus isn't letting us off the hook either. He is challenging us. How we handle God's money is important. Did you catch that? I didn't say how we handle our money, because it isn't ours. Everything we have is God's. We are only caretakers of God's creation. So it isn't MY money, it is God's money. And the question is how are we handling God's money? Does what we do with our money reflect what we state our priorities are in life? Can we say we are a good Christian and spend more on coffee then offering or charitable giving? I don't know...maybe. I think Jesus might challenge us a little. Money is an intensely personal thing. And some might be reading this and get angry that I'd have the audacity to challenge what happens with THEIR money. Two responses: 1) Jesus is doing the challenging not me, and 2) it isn't THEIR money it's God's. There's a reason Jesus talks about money so much in the Gospels...it has an incredible hold on our lives. What does your checkbook say about your priorities in life?

To get shot or not...That is the question.

Stop me if you've heard this bit of information...the Swine (err I mean H1N1) flu virus is around. Jeez, you can't turn on a news cast or read a paper and not hear about someone or someplace dealing with the virus. Although I have noticed that since Omaha schools have started, and there wasn't some mass outbreak, they have backed off a little bit. I guess us little folk in SW Iowa don't matter quite as much! I've also heard that Tri-Center is dealing with the flu too, but so far nothing overly serious. And so here my wife and I sit trying to decide if we're going to get vaccinated against it or not. Being the parents of little Alex we are in the group that should get vaccinated so we don't give it to him, but is the vaccine safe? I suppose it is, but the flu doesn't seem all that worse than the seasonal flu. I guess we're trying to decided what risk is greater, Alex getting the H1N1 from us or Isaac, Tracy and I getting some sort of side effect from the vaccine. I think we're leaning toward vaccination.

All this hoopla has got me thinking about how much we try to protect ourselves from various threats. I've also been thinking that for all of this worry we could all be killed in some sort of accident at any time really. I know that sounds harsh, but honestly it's true. We like to think we have some sort of control over our lives and the world around us, and to some extent we can prevent some things, but I believe we don't have nearly as much control as we'd like to think we have. Sometimes we can take all the right precautions and something bad can still happen. Now I'm not writing this to scare people, all though I'm getting a little nervous, I'm writing this because I've begun to realize that more and more needs to be put into God's hands. The sooner we realize that God being in control is much better than us the sooner we'll be more at peace with life. Realizing that God is with us always should take a burden off our shoulders and allow us more peace of mind. We need to understand that we do what we can, and then let the rest be up to God.

The danger I think is in thinking then that if we do everything "right" that God will somehow protect us from bad things. If we just pray enough, go to church enough, give enough, and live a righteous enough life then God owes it to us to bless us and protect us from all harm. Has anyone lived a life free from suffering? Has anyone lived a life "good" enough to warrant God's love and ultimate protection? You and I both know the answers. We don't have faith in God in order to get what we want or to protect us from suffering. Believing isn't about; "what have you done for me lately God." Our faith is what helps us when the bad times come. Our faith is what helps us to be better human beings. Our faith is what compels us to make this world a better place for all. Our faith cannot be a me first thing.

The book of Job does a good job of reminding us that "perfect" faith (which isn't possible) isn't a guarantee against suffering. If anyone lived a good enough life for God to bless and protect it was Job, but we know what happened to him. Job is a book that reminds us that bad things happen for no apparent reason. God does allow suffering to take place. Job understood that he didn't deserve what what happening to him. He knew he wasn't being punished for some sin. Job's suffering just happened, and we don't' get a good reason except that God allowed it to happen. The story is telling us that everyone experiences difficult times, and that it is our belief in God and God's love for us that helps us get through those tough times. The challenge for us is to quit thinking that God owes us anything...the challenge is to think like we owe God everything!

PS-this seemed like a random stream of consciousness...sorry if it makes no sense I'll do better next week.

One Great Weekend!

I have to admit I'm having a brain cramp. Save the jokes...I know it's a small cramp! I can't think of anything inspiring to write this morning...Again I know when have I ever come up with anything inspiring. I'll keep setting you guys up and you can keep knocking them out of the park. I did have an awesome weekend though. My dad, Isaac and I went to Kansas City Friday night and attended at KC Royals vs. MN Twins game. We stayed over night and then had some Jack Stack's BBQ for lunch on Saturday. How cool was it to take Isaac to his first MLB baseball game. He was amazed at the stadium for awhile. Then he was concerned with what he was going eat. Then he wanted them to hit him a ball. We had great seats just off home plate towards the first base side. A foul ball did land about 10 feet from us so that satisfied him for awhile. Isaac did good. We left after the 5th inning because we had been there about 3 hours already and there was a threat of rain.

As the boys grow up I can't wait to experience a whole bunch of firsts with them, and it was extra special to be able to have my dad there too. I've already caught myself a couple times when Isaac and I are doing something thinking about when my dad and I did that too. I'm hoping Isaac, and eventually Alex I'm not forgetting him, will have as good a childhood as I did. Alex's main concern now is when is his next meal and how tough is the next poop so he isn't too concerned about hanging out yet.

I've heard it a million times, and I'm sure all of us have, but kids do grow up fast. Heck, we all grow up fast. Life continues to move faster and faster and if we don't slow down and look around once in awhile we're going to miss something. Is there a Ferris Bueller quote in there? If we have kids or not. Life is meant to be enjoyed. Of course there is work to be done, but we can't be so concerned with work or ourselves that we forget to experience life with friends and family. I'm glad that I can be around my family so much. I'm also grateful that our extended family is close even though they live a ways away. I have to remind myself sometimes how good I truly have it, and make sure that the boys get a chance at a great childhood too. Yes, Yes Tracy is involved in this too, probably more than me, but this is my blog dang it!

I ask you: Are you stopping to smell the roses? Or are you moving so fast, involved in so much stuff, and missing life? You only get one chance to experience a lot of stuff...don't be so busy that you miss it.

Diet or Life Style Change

What do you suppose works better? A diet or a life style change? I know for sure that diets don't work. Oh they work for awhile, but eventually one falls off the wagon and you're right back where you've started. Oprah is a living example. It must be hard to lose and keep the weight off if she can't do it. She's worth over a BILLION dollars. She can afford a personal chef, trainer, doctor, you name it, and she can't even make a diet stick. If the queen of daytime TV can't do it how in the world can an ordinary Joe like me do it. I'm not calling it a diet. I'm calling it a life style change. I'm still going to eat the foods I like, but I'm not going to eat nearly as much of them or eat them nearly as often. For a week it's worked pretty good, but I'm not here to keep you informed how my di...I mean life style change is going. What I am interested in discussing is the discipline it takes to stick to a life style change and how our spiritual lives need the same discipline.

I'm going to admit to you something right now. Being a pastor maybe I shouldn't say this, but I do struggle with my own personal spiritual life. I struggle to consistently find the time to pray and be alone with the Spirit. I've committed to reading through the Bible cover to cover and take notes on the subject, but I even find myself forgetting to do that from time to time. Try it sometime and see how difficult it can be to slog through some of the Old Testament. On the other hand, it reads better than any movie or novel in a lot of places. Hard to believe some of that stuff happened and it was recorded in the Bible. Even harder to believe that God still cares enough for us after all the trouble we cause, but that's a post for another day. Being disciplined on a di...I mean life style change, is just as important as being disciplined in your daily devotional time. Each one has a profound influence on our lives and quality of life.

It is easy for me to realize when I've neglected my spiritual life. I become agitated easily and I can become a real grouch. My patience level is not very high and I just become discouraged very easily. I've learned to recognize these symptoms, if you will, and take steps to alleviate them. I make the time to be alone and just let the Spirit fill me and guide me. I know reading that sentence kind of sounds hokie..."let the Spirit fill me." But, it is what happens. I don't have some magic formula for how we can open ourselves to the Spirit. My devotions can be as simple as 5 minutes sitting quietly and trying hard not to let my mind race with the list of things to do. Sometimes my devotional time is 30 to 45 minutes reading the Bible and taking notes on what I've read. No matter what I do I make sure I'm concentrating on God and the Spirit. Each time I come away feeling refreshed. It really is that simple. The tough part is sticking to it.

We have become so busy that we don't think we have time for ourselves. We neglect our own well being because we're so busy doing something for someone else. Whether we harm ourselves by stopping at McD's instead of taking the extra 5 minutes to pack a lunch, or whether we harm our spiritual life by neglecting our time alone with the Spirit each time we take away from our quality of life. Di...I mean beginning a life style change is hard because the easy way is the fast food and the sugar and all the bad stuff. Having a fulfilling spiritual life is tough too because it asks us to take some time for ourselves. Taking time for ourselves is not selfish. In fact it is necessary and an important part in making sure we're the best we can be for those who need us. I know when I'm neglecting my spiritual life Tracy and the boys are suffering right along with me 'cause I'm not too fun to be around. Is it selfish for me to make sure I have at least some time to be alone and connect with God? NO it is absolutely necessary. I am challenging myself to at least once a day to connect with God. It doesn't have to be an elaborate devotional time, but it has to be an intentional slowing down and purposeful connection to the Spirit. Will you take the challenge with me? Will you help hold me accountable? Let's see how our lives can be influenced for the better. And who knows...maybe, just maybe by being connected to the Spirit it'll make my life style change easier!

Do we really have to dislike each other so much?

I'm sitting at my desk wondering what I've gotten myself into with this blog thing. What am I going to say? What should I say? What if I say something that makes someone mad? What if people make fun of me because I set the English language, spelling, and grammar rules back 50 years? Then I thought to myself..."If I'm being honest and talking about important stuff then some people aren't going to agree, and hopefully we can all look past my lack of grammar skills. Mr. Struck (junior high English teacher) may not be too proud, but that's okay I suppose.

I think I'm going to use this forum as a way for me to put out there what's been running through my head lately. I'm hoping for some feedback both negative and positive. I had a pastor tell me once that if you always agree with the pastor of your church then you're not thinking. So please feel free to say I'm nuts or agree with me, it'll be a fun exchange.

What's really been eating at me the past couple of days is all this division in the country. Most of the division can be seen in the political arena, but one can't help but notice it in churches too. I believe we've become so concerned with being right, that we have lost our compassion for the other. We've become so concerned with who's in and who's out that we have lost our calling to care for the less fortunate. We've become so concerned with getting ours that we've completely ignored those who can't get enough. We've become so concerned with ourselves that we don't have time for others. What was one of Jesus' mantras throughout most of his ministry? Care for the poor and the less fortunate; treat others as you want to be treated. Why doesn't that permeate all that we do? It doesn't because it's hard.

It makes me sad to see politicians forgo working for the good of the country to make sure the other side loses or to enhance their political stance. And I'm talking about all politicians because it happens on both sides of the aisle and it doesn't matter which party is in control. It seems running the country and looking out for the good of everyone takes a back seat to making sure a certain party looks good and the other looks bad. We're share the blame too because we hold the power, but we choose to be lazy and not exercise it...maybe another topic for another post.

It makes me more sad to see church going people worry so much about rules and perceptions and who's in and who's out instead of spreading the radical love that Jesus so brilliantly portrayed. I think we can all think of examples where we shook our head either reading about such an instance or experiencing one ourselves. I think we are very good about talking a good game, but when it comes to being loving, forgiving, and open, living that game is a different story. I know for myself that's true. A lot of times the sermons I give are more for my benefit. I find myself preaching and talking a lot about things I wish I did better. I don't want to sound sanctimonious here. I struggle just like everyone else.

So what do we do? There seems to be all this division and the more things change the more they stay the same. Well Jesus said it best I believe when he told us that we need to deny ourselves and take up our cross and follow Him. (Mark 8:34). We have to stop putting ourselves first all the time. Yes there are certain times we need to be selfish in order to take care of ourselves, but if we always look out for number one then we've failed to deny ourselves and follow Jesus. People don't do as Jesus did because they misunderstand him, we don't follow well because the path is hard. It involves sacrifice. If we're going to help others then we need to give up some of what we think is ours. If we're going to be examples of God's love and forgiveness then we have to live a little differently. If we want to experience true love, true peace, and true forgiveness then we need to let go and let God be our guide. Study how Jesus welcomed everyone, and determine ways in which you can help others in your life. The change can't happen unless we make it. Let's begin making our own corner of the world a better place and see how small steps can lead to big changes.