Relax..breath...and enjoy.

Wow...it has been a long time since I did any blogging on here, Oct. 14th!  Oh well, better late then never.  As I sit in my office and see the freshly fallen snow outside my window and slowly wait for the feeling to come back to my ears and fingers I wonder if this truly is the most wonderful time of the year!  Okay, I'm only half kidding.  I love Christmas and all it stands for, but I could do without the freezing cold and snow.  I gave a sermon yesterday about priorities, Christmas, hoping and working toward making this holiday season the best one yet.  Just one more thing to add to our never ending to do list this Christmas season right?  Some silly pastor asking us to actually dream about the perfect Christmas and then rearrange our priorities to work at making that dream come true.  Just some more of that pie in the sky stuff from Pastor Brian right?!  Well yes and no.
I'm fully aware that this time of the year may not be all that jolly for everyone and that we are at our wits end just getting everything done and ready for the celebration.  I'm also aware of the guilt that can be felt when we're reminded of the reason for the season and how we should be paying more attention to celebrating the birth of our savior but frankly we just don't have time.  Can I get an amen!  Well maybe we need to just give in and stop all the worrying about priorities and simply try and enjoy the season.  That's right...I said maybe we need to give up the guilt and simply enjoy the season.
Now, I'm not saying we throw in the towel and get rid of any thought of preparing for and celebrating the birth of Jesus.  What I am saying is sometimes we put so much pressure on ourselves to find the perfect gift, make the perfect meal, get the house looking perfect, finding the perfect outfit, being in the perfect Christmas mood that when Christmas comes it isn't a celebration it's a relief it's here and gone.  That certainly doesn't sound like the Christmas spirit to me.  How would Christmas be different if we just let go of that illusion of perfection?  None of us are perfect and we certainly can't make the holiday season perfect so maybe we should just stop trying.  A little dust on the window sill is ok...a store bought salad will be just fine...the gift can be exchanged...there has to be something in your closet that looks good!  The reason this season is so special I believe is because we are afford the opportunity to get together with family and to share gifts, time and energy.  The season is also so special because we are reminded, amongst all the glitter and ads, that our creator loved us enough to be born as a peasant and live as one of us.
I don't want to ad another thing to your already full list.  What I want is to maybe take a few things off that list so you can sit back and enjoy the season.  Let go of the need for perfection and just enjoy our ability to be with family and friends this season.  Soak in the Christmas Spirit and let the rest of the stuff take care of itself.

Boom goes the dynamite!

I was watching the baseball playoffs last night something pretty cool happened.  In the bottom of the 8th inning the Boston Red Sox came back to tie the game and then eventually won the game in the bottom of the 9th.  Tracy could barely contain her excitement because she lives for playoff baseball!  Now I know what you're thinking...that doesn't sound very cool or exciting.  Well, if you had been watching the game you would have thought there was no chance the Red Sox would be able to win.  In fact ESPN said their chances of winning were less then 4%.  For 7 innings the Detroit Tigers had dominated the Red Sox to the point the hitters looked dumbfounded at the plate.  To top it off the Red Sox were down 4 runs in the bottom of the 8th and facing a Detroit bullpen that had been lights out.  I promise there's a point to all of this!  It would have been easy for the Red Sox to just pack it in.  They could have felt it wasn't their night, everything was going against them, and they should just wait for the next game and hope things were better.  Instead, David Ortiz hits a game tying home run and changes the whole complexion of the game and series.  A great lesson in not giving up hope...ever.
Not giving up in sports, and of course life, is something I've been trying to instill in my boys.  I understand they are still very young in their sport's careers, but I really want them to understand that no matter how tough the circumstances you don't give up.  Sports gives us a great opportunity to teach that lesson over and over again.  In my limited experience coaching the boys I see how easily they get down, blame each other, and generally pout when things don't go their way.  The idea of building each other up and working as a team isn't something they have completely grasped yet.  As I see them play more and more I hope they grow into this, but I wonder if we ever grow into that mindset completely.  Ha, I think teamwork is a foreign concept in Washington, but I digress.
As adults I think we too can be quick to get down, blame others, and generally pout when things go badly.  I know it's easier for me to scapegoat somebody or something instead of looking in the mirror.  I also know it is sometimes easier to tear down instead of work together and build up...especially if you may or may not particularly like who you are working with.  Maybe my second grade football team is simply a reflection of what we are like as adults.  I'd like to think we've grown but have we?  What is our reaction when the sledding gets tough?  Do we pull our boots on a little tighter and work harder or do we complain and blame the world?  What happens to our spiritual life when we hit one of life's valleys?  Do we blame God and turn away from God because we think it's obvious God doesn't care about us any more?  Or do we continue to pray and have faith that there will be light at the end of the tunnel knowing we may not understand our circumstances now but trusting in God to walk with us?  I know I find complaining pretty easy.  I also know and have seen the rewards of working hard through obstacles and tough times only to see faith rewarded and lessons learned.  So, take it from a second grade flag football coach...you got to be willing to work together as a team, you can't give up, and you have to have faith that the Spirit will guide you through. 

Kids and their energy!

How many times have I thought when watching my kids I'd like to have a tenth of their energy?  How many times have you thought that?  Kids seem to have an endless supply.  I'm not sure, but when God made my youngest son Alex I think he accidentally gave him twice the dose of energy and spirit!  The things that kid comes up with and the non-stop action, unless Tom & Jerry is on, is enough energy to power a small town.  But I digress.  I think kids have a lot to teach us adults, and I was reminded of that fact yesterday during church and Sunday school.
Before Sunday school starts I like to stand in the hallway and watch the kids come in.  One of the reasons I do that is because it is awesome to see the excitement they have on their faces.  Well, most all of them, there are a few that wish they were still sleeping, but the vast majority are excited to see their friends and genuinely excited to come to Sunday school.  Those smiles can't help but lift my spirits for the day also.  As I watch them file past to their rooms and I see their smiling faces I wonder how many adults will come to church with the same exuberance and energy?  While there are a few the percentages are lower for sure.  Now, I don't expect the adults to come sprinting down the church aisle to their seats and I don't expect them to hug, punch, high five, give piggy back rides and so on to their friends in worship, but I often wonder what emotions they, and I, bring to worship?  Is it just another obligation they need to fulfill?  Is it simply another check mark on their list?  Or is it genuine happiness and praise that bring them to worship to see friends, to experience the living God, and to be reminded that we aren't alone in this crazy adventure called life.  I often wonder how different worship would be if we all came with the same amount of happiness and appreciation to be there instead of our grown up sensible ways of being.
The second thing I learned on Sunday, or at least was reminded of, was the energy and joy kids bring to a worship service.  I put in our church newsletter a month or two ago an article that praised and thanked moms and dads for bringing their kids to worship.  If anyone has brought a small child to a worship service you know the nerve racking feeling.  You think every noise is a terrible interruption and all eyes are looking at you wondering why you can't control your kid.  Well, I say the heck with control!  The noises that kids make, as long as the noises aren't screams at the very tops of their lungs for minutes on end, and the hustle and bustle they create bring an energy and joy to a worship service that nothing else can.  Worship services aren't meant to be somber, quiet reflection for a solid hour.  There is some time for that, but we are worshiping a living God and a Spirit that dances with us and there's nothing completely quiet and somber about that!  We are a community, and communities are made up of different people and we need to be reminded of that. 
People ask me all the time how I keep my concentration when there's noise going on in the congregation.  I keep my concentration because I absolutely welcome the noise and hustle and bustle.  There's isn't much worse then looking out over a congregation with no kids and not much activity.  The energy and joy the young ones bring lift my spirits, and I bet if we're all honest with ourselves they lift our spirits too.
Kids can still teach us old adults something after all.  They remind us to have fun in life, they fill us with joy and energy, even though they can be exasperating at times, and maybe most importantly they remind us that worshiping God is meant to be fun too!

My time is coming

I've probably ranted about this before, and maybe even in this space, but this topic has been on my mind lately so I thought I would put some rambling thoughts to screen.  Kid's schedules are nuts!  I quite often hear of parents shuttling kids to and from places after school, before school, Saturday, Sunday, and almost any time in between.  It seems to me that some how we've equated being busy with being successful.  I also wonder how many of the activities I see kids in are truly for the kids or do mom and dad push too much.  Is there something wrong with just being at home for a night with nothing to do but be a kid?  Does an unscheduled day, or even hour, somehow mean we're not living up to our full potential?  Good golly I hope not.
I titled this post "my time is coming" because right now my boys are in 2nd grade and preschool.  Only one is involved in any extracurricular sports so we're not running around like mad...yet.  But, even our schedule gets crazy when you throw in some church stuff and community activities and we don't even have to worry about sports, band, boy scouts, FFA, etc.  What am I going to do when the time comes?  Will I just cram as much as I can into the kids' schedule because they want to do all that?  Will I just assume that busy equals good?  Will I have the strength to say no?  As I'm writing it occurs to me I'm not including Tracy in any of these decisions, and she'll certainly be involved.
I truly hope I can find time to let my boys just be boys and kids.  I know for myself that if I have a schedule that is continually packed it wears me down.  I know that I need a night or two to just be home with the family.  There are enough times already were I feel we don't have enough of those nights and as a family we're barely getting started in the rat race.  Is it no wonder families seem to struggle a little bit more now because they barely have time to see each other!  I guess my question is where has the balance gone, and can you find a way to come back into balance.
I truly believe it is important to have time together as a family to just be.  I don't know if that is your belief or not, but if you're constantly running to the next thing how do you get a chance to just sit down and hang out?  Do you get a chance to sit down as a family and have a meal together...more then twice a week?  Maybe I'm alone in these thoughts and most people believe you have to have the hectic lifestyle, but I don't.  I do not want you to misunderstand me...sports are good....band is good....community activities are good....church activities are good...FFA, Boy and Girl Scouts...and other organizations are good, but we can't be all things all the time.  That's were balance comes into play.  I mean even God rested.  Jesus knew he had to take time out to be alone and get away from it all.  If God and Jesus knew they couldn't handle busyness all the time how do we think we can schedule our lives full and get away with it?  I might be shouting at a wall here, and heck in 2 or 3 years my family might be over scheduled too, but I sure hope we can say no...and still find time to just be at home for a night or two, or God forbid a whole day, without having to be somewhere.  I don't think you can put a price on that time together because it's not the same togetherness as running in the car to the next event.  It is ok to have nothing to do for awhile.  It is ok to just be and not have to rush to the next thing.  Family time, time to just be together, is something I think this world could use a lot more of, and if we can't find time to just be together then maybe, just maybe we're a little too busy.

Back to school...!

It is fun to see all the pictures of the kiddos getting ready for the first day of school.  It is also fun to read all the sappy Facebook posts about how no one can believe how fast time goes and their kids shouldn't be this old yet.  While I agree with most of that I can't get Cliff Huxtable out of my head when it comes to kids leaving for college.  If you don't remember Cliff Huxtable he's Bill Cosby from the "The Cosby Show" in the '80s and you should look it up.  I remember each time one of his kids turned 18 he'd have their suitcases packed and by the door eagerly waiting for them to be out of the house and on their own.  I believe one specific episode he had most, if not all, of the kids out of the house and he was ready for some peace and quiet, but alas someone moved back in.  The image of him and suitcases by the door has always stuck with me, and I've consciously began drilling into my boys' heads that when they hit 18 they're off to college and out of the house!  I don't know if momma is down with that plan but you've got to start early!
Now I'm in no hurry for the boys to grow up, but I think I might be ready for some peace and quiet after 20 some  years of rambunctious boys in the house.  I suppose after a week of the quiet I'll be wanting the noise again, but for now let me dream of having my house back!
As the school year begins, and we're reminded just how fast time really does fly, we need to make sure we're slowing down and not missing everything.  I think a lot as my boys grow up so fast of all the things I want to do with them yet, and if I'm not intentional about doing them then time is going to slip away and they'll be off with families of their own.  I'm also reminded of my relationship with the Spirit and how if I'm not intentional with that it gets pushed back  and neglected.  It is so easy to get busy with life, and time flies by, and before you know it it's too late to do some of the things you wanted to do.  Or, you've been so busy you've neglected your walk with the Spirit and then when you really need that connection it takes a little time to tune back in because you've been tuned out for so long. 
So, as the school year begins let's take a moment to think about what's important in our lives and prioritize them.  God, family, job, other...does that look like your priority list?  If it doesn't then what comes before God and family, and is that truly more important than them?  I certainly hope not!

Yee-Haw!!!

We just finished up another great year of VBS!  What a joy it was to partner with the Neola Presbyterian church and see a group of about 80 kids come and have a blast and learn a little something too.  The program on Sunday was pretty cool if I do say so myself.  Again, I want to say thank you to everyone who helped with VBS in anyway, and a special thank you to Tracy for all her hard work in organizing and running the VBS.
As I talked about during my sermon it was neat to see and feel the kids enthusiasm.  It was neat to watch the kids get into the singing and dancing more and more.  The first time we sang the songs some of the kids were pretty reserved and didn't get too involved.  By the end of the first night they were really getting into both the words and the actions of the songs.  The final couple of nights I think they were eagerly waiting to sing along with the songs.  It was also neat to talk with the kids and hear about what they learned and what they took away from the whole week.  If you were there to see it the kids energy was infectious and it made your day no matter how tired you thought you were.
As I reflected on their eagerness to learn I wondered where our eagerness to learn about and serve God goes.  How come as we get older that unbridled enthusiasm is harder and harder to find.  Ok, I'll admit there is no way we will have the same energy as 3 year old's through 5th graders, but how come it is hard to find that joy?  Think about the energy in church if we all came with the same eagerness to see what we could learn about God and experience the Spirit's presence.  How different would our worship experience be if we really let our whole selves get involved in the worship service?  I'm not advocating for dancing in the aisles and a lot of hootin and hollerin', but maybe a small change in our attitude.  Instead of walking into the sanctuary with our minds full of lists of things to do, minds tired from having to be up before noon, or whatever else gets in our way of fully engaging in worship, how would we connect with God if we were simply eager to see what we could learn and experience again?!
So, the next time you're settling into worship take some time to clear your mind and prepare yourself to experience the Spirit in a new and exciting way.

Busy...Busy...Busy...burnout...

Whoa!!!  We survived RAGBRAI!  What an interesting experience to say the least.  We made some money for the youth group and we got to see and talk to a lot of interesting people.  Even though it was fun and interesting I'm glad we don't have to do it every year!  There is a lot of planning and work that goes on in preparing for that event.  All the planning and work that went into getting ready made me think a lot about how we get busy in life and before we know it life is rushing by so fast we look back and wonder what we've missed.
The sermon this week focused on the story of Mary and Martha.  Jesus visited their house and while Martha busied herself making the guests feel comfortable Mary sat at Jesus' feet and listened to him talk.  Martha, as would any of us I think, asked Jesus to tell Mary to get off her butt and help with the work of meal preparation.  But, instead of Jesus siding with Martha he said that Mary had chosen the right thing by sitting and listening to him.  So, in this story Jesus seems to be saying it's okay to sit by and let someone else work!  Well not exactly, but I believe this story is a reminder that sometimes we get so busy in our lives that we don't have time to relax, recharge and listen for Jesus.  Usually what happens is we work ourselves so much we are either forced to stop because we get physically ill and our bodies make the decision for us, or we get so burnt out and frustrated we just can't handle it anymore.
The story of Jesus' visit with Martha and Mary reminds us that while doing work, whether it be volunteer or job related or church related or whatever, is important, but it has to be balanced with rest, relaxation and recharging.  God rested on the 7th day, Jesus often went off and prayed by himself, why do we find it a badge of honor to work ourselves silly?  Somehow we think that taking time for ourselves, and perhaps even saying "no" once in awhile is taboo.  Do we have a martyr complex?  Do we like to show others how busy we are and how "important" we are because of all the stuff we can juggle?  Will it not get done if we don't do it?  How do we know what can get done if we don't let someone else do it?  How do we expect more help if we're always the ones saying we'll do it and take care of it?  Jesus himself is telling us that if we're too busy to find time to listen to him and find time to rest, relax, and recharge then he isn't impressed with our work. In fact, he would say slow down and stop it.
We aren't doing anyone any favors trying to be super dad/mom/friend/coworker/brother/sister/volunteer if in the end we become so tired and burnout that we're resentful towards the work we do.  We need to learn to recognize when we're becoming too busy.  The signs are different for everyone, but if you see your family less then coworkers and others then...here's your sign.  If you realize that you are starting to resent the work you've volunteered to do then...here's your sign.  If you find yourself short and snippy with people then...here's your sign.  Of course there are times in our lives when responsibilities take a front seat to anything else, but if that starts to become the norm instead of the exception then I think a priority check is in order.  And I certainly hope that finding time to spend with the Spirit and Jesus isn't pushed back, because that is time that you will find rewarding beyond any work you do...I promise!

Southern California...was this work or play?

I just got back from the United Church of Christ's national meeting, which is called General Synod, that is held every two years.  I was selected as a delegate to represent the Iowa Conference and I reluctantly agreed to attend the meeting which was held in Long Beach, California.  You know, sometimes you just have to take one for the team!  It would suffice to say I was looking forward to the location and not necessarily the meetings and conference.  I was pleasantly surprised by both actually. 
Of course the weather was great.  It was a little unseasonably humid for southern California, but we suffered through it.  We arrived in Long Beach Thursday afternoon.  The conference didn't start until Friday afternoon so I took the chance to rent a car, cruise the Pacific Coast Highway, and also take in a Dodger game.  Once the conference started on Friday our free time was cut down so the rental had to go back.  I would be lying if I didn't say the pull of the beach and the convertible was stronger then sitting in the convention center for meetings, but I resisted the urge and decided to attend the conference.
There were about 800 delegates from around the country, and there were about 2000 visitors from around the country that came to General Synod.  The conference consisted of elections of our national officers, the recognition of some dignitaries, worship, and the work was the passing of resolutions.  The resolutions were debated in committees on Saturday and then brought to all the delegates for a vote.  Let's just say the voting on the resolutions is where the conference really bogged down.  The resolutions were anything from a statement denouncing bullying to a call for the UCC to divest itself from companies that profit from fossil fuels.  The process of amendments, voting, the voices for and the voices against worked a lot like any committee/meeting works so you can imagine it really got tiresome sometimes, but some good work was done.
What was really cool about General Synod was the chance to meet some new friends, to experience some different worship styles, to see God active in our wider church, and to be reminded that there is a lot of good stuff going on around the country and in our denomination.  Now, I may not agree with all the things the national UCC does, and I didn't agree with all the resolutions, but I do really enjoy the fact that the UCC really strives to the an inclusive and all loving church that welcomes all...even those they may disagree with that very policy.  I don't always do a good job of keeping our church connected to the wider church, and attending General Synod was a great reminder to me that God is at work in the wider church.
One final take away from General Synod was a reminder to me again to how blessed I am to be serving at the Minden United Church of Christ.  I listen to a lot of ministers talk about their struggles, and I was humbled at the way the Spirit has worked with our church and helped shape us into the church family we are.  I know I make a lot of mistakes, and I am thankful you are willing to work with me through those mistakes.  With the leading of the Spirit we will continue to be a light in this community and a great faith family together.

If only we'd try so hard

As I'm sure most of you know there are two little boys in our family that keep us on our toes.  What you might not know is that we've allowed them to have mo-hawk hair cuts and I think we may have unlocked some inner source of energy that was previously untapped.  I'm not sure we can scientifically document this development, but empirical evidence seems to suggest a correlation between mo-hawk haircuts and craziness!
Alex has reached the age now, close to 4, where he has lots of questions about what's going on in the world.  Everything from why doesn't the sky fall on us to what happens if we buy a semi.  Isaac has been at that stage for a few years now and having both of them asking whatever pops into their minds makes for some exciting car rides and very entertaining conversations.  Besides their natural curiosity to know how things work around them they have a great desire to please.  I'm sure this isn't confined to my kids, but they try so hard sometimes to be helpful and to please that they get in their own way.  We have to constantly remind Alex that the fire in the grill is hot and "help" is not opening the lid every minute to make sure the fire isn't burning the meat!  As I look back on their questions, and as I do my level best to answer them without getting too annoyed, even if it is to explain for the 100th time that we have no use for a semi and that I don't know why God only gave us 2 legs, I wonder how our lives would be different if we approached our relationship with God in a similar way.
As adults we lose that sense of wonder and curiosity don't we?  We think we have a pretty good handle on how the world works, we think we have a pretty good handle on how God works, and so we really stop asking questions and that sense of awe goes away.  Of course our certainty about how things should work can get shattered pretty quickly once the roof caves in, but that's a different blog.  Along with losing that sense of awe and wonder about life and the world we also lose a little  bit of that sense to please.  I suppose we're all trying to please someone or prove ourselves to someone throughout our lives, but are we living in a way that would please God?  How often do we even consider what God might think of our actions and decisions?  How often do we stop and ask God a bunch of questions about how things work and how we're supposed to interact with them?
My sense is we don't do it often enough.  We believe we know what's best for our lives, and so we don't invite God into the decision making process very much.  We have become jaded and have lost a part of that awe, and healthy fear, of God so we don't value or seek God's input in our daily lives.  Oh, we'll try and find God when the sky is falling or when we think we have a huge decision to make, but how often do we invoke God in our daily lives?  How would our lives be different if we made God a part of every decision we made?  Ok, so every decision might be a little extreme, but I certainly believe God want's to be a bigger part of our lives if we'll ask God to be.  And the best part is God will never get impatient when you ask the same question for the millionth time!  Don't you think you would benefit from more God in your life?  I know I would!

Something stuck in my craw...

First off...is that how you spell craw?  Anyway, I've been thinking about something lately and I'm going to vent a little bit about it.  So I apologize in advance if this seems a little down beat in any way.  If you're still reading then here we go!
A disclaimer: I am a sport nut.  I watch too much on TV, according to some in our house, and my boys are involved in a lot of sports.  I try to catch as many sporting events as I can, and my children will continue to be involved in sports as long as they enjoy them and want to be, and I believe sports can teach our kids a lot about life...disclaimer over.
Have you guessed what's stuck in my craw?  It's been rattling around in my brain that past couple of weeks... the comparison between our dedication to sports verses our dedication to church.  We will wake up at the crack of dawn to get to our kid's sporting event, but man waking up before 9 or 10 on a Sunday morning can be tough.  We will spend hours upon hours watching practices and games and traveling to sporting events, but taking an hour on Sunday for church and maybe another hour for Sunday school seems like asking a lot.  Even more difficult is finding 15 to 30 minutes a day for scripture reading and prayer...(I'm guilty of this a lot).  I haven't even mentioned volunteering for other activities at church...just how much time does one person have!  We're willing to sacrifice almost anything to make sure our kids have everything they need to succeed in a sport, time, money, blood, sweat and tears, but ask us to sacrifice time and money for church then that's another story.
I know this isn't true for everyone, but I'm willing to bet it's true for more of us then we think.  I know I'm guilty in this too.  Why isn't there more emphasis on church and growing our spiritual lives and serving God?  I don't think very many of our kids are going to go on and earn a living playing a sport.  I can guarantee that those same kids will need God in their lives.  So why don't we put more of an emphasis on building our own spiritual life and that of our children? Is it simply because church/Sunday school isn't nearly as exciting as a sporting event?  Is it because we don't always get instant gratification from a scriptural lesson?  Is it because the church as failed at getting the point across how important a faith life is? 
As with all good questions the answer is probable a mix of all the above.  We don't think we have enough time so we push God to the background, and we hope our kids will figure it out on their own later.  If that's the thought then what would happen if we applied that logic to other areas of their lives?  Oh they'll figure out driving later on their own, they'll prepare for college later when they have more time.  Sounds silly doesn't it.  I think it's easy to push God aside because we know that God will forgive us and welcome us back, so like any good diet and exercise program we'll start tomorrow....well when does that tomorrow come? 
God is forgiving, and God will welcome us back, but God is also fair.  Which means if we continue to push God aside then we'll miss a lot of blessings God has in store for us simply because we ignored Him.  Not to mention anything about eternal life and possible consequences of ignoring God all along.  (My thoughts aren't fully developed down this eternal life road (heaven vs. hell), but I do think we ignore the judgmental aspect of God too much).  Also, if we neglect our end of the connection to God then when we need God the most in our lives we aren't going to connect right away because we aren't in the habit of doing so.  You can't play a sport well if you don't practice, how do you plan to be able to connect and bask in God's presence if we don't practice doing so?  And, our kids pick up what's important from us.  If we don't make church and our own spiritual life a priority why should they?  Osmosis doesn't work.  I would think a strong faith foundation and life would be the best thing we could do for our kids in preparing them for the real world, yet we find it so hard to do so.  Yet we dare not miss that next practice! 
Rant over...obviously I struggle with this dichotomy too...some food for thought!

Sometimes you just have to laugh...

Last Sunday I gave a children's sermon that was supposed to get us thinking about faith and how it might be difficult to explain,yet we can still believe.  I asked the kids if they could explain how gravity works.  I asked the kids what would happen if they jumped off their bed...of course they responded that they would fall to the floor.  Then I asked if they could explain how the force of gravity works.  They couldn't explain it and I don't think I could either. My point was that just like we can't explain gravity we might not be able to explain how faith works either.  But, just because we can't explain or define exactly gravity or faith we can see their effects.  I was hoping to get the point across that we can believe and have faith in God even if we can't understand how all that "stuff" works.  Well, I think I failed.  We get home from church and Isaac has a question.  I'm feeling good because I think the fantastic children's sermon stirred something in him and he has a deep theological question...naw...he wants to know how he can jump off the bed and float up the ceiling!  Yup...figuring out a way to defy gravity is more exciting then faith I guess.
Isaac's question did get me thinking though.  Do we take our faith for granted?  Do we just expect our faith to be able to carry us through the difficult times and always be there for us?  Of course we can expect God to always be there, but if we do nothing to strengthen our relationship the connection on our end might get a little bad.  God never moves.  We instead move away from Him when we neglect our relationship with him.  The trick to keeping our faith alive and growing is feeding and strengthening it at all times especially when times are good.  I have a tendency to let my devotional time slide when things are going good in my life, and then when I hit a rough patch I of course tend to read the Bible and pray more.  Silly I know, and then I wonder sometimes why I can't feel God as well when I think I need him the most.  Well, I've neglected the relationship and it takes time again to tune my soul and spirit to God's Spirit.  Again God's Spirit didn't move away from me, I neglected the relationship and had to rebuild it again.
I need to be better about continually building my relationship during the ups and downs.  How about you?  Can you be strengthening your connection now so it's ready and strong when then the rough patches come?

And breathe....

As some of you may, or may not know, it  has been a bit of a hectic past few weeks at the Wohlhuter household.  Tracy started the process of looking for a new job, and has since accepted a position as US Embassador to Bora Bora, so we are getting ready for some transition.  Gonna be a big change in weather patterns.  No more going from snow one day and 95 degrees in little over a week, but I think we'll get used to the tropical weather and deep blue ocean.  Ok, Ok...Tracy didn't get the Embassador position, but she did accept a position at TD Ameritrade and will start her new job on May 28th.  A few neat things happened along the journey to a new job and I wanted to share them with y'all.
As anyone knows making a big decision in life is hard.  You want so badly to know that you're making the right decision that you almost paralyze yourself with all your analysis.  We want so badly to control everything that when we make a decision that is going to have a large impact on our lives we can really struggle because no matter how much you pray and think about the situation there is a certain amount of unknowns.  Has anyone been there?  Wouldn't it just be easier if God told us what to do?  I suppose it would, but have we ever been real good at listening to God?  As Tracy decided she wanted to look for another job we asked a lot of questions and did a lot of praying.  At no time did I get a flash of light and hear God's voice directly, and I don't think Tracy did either, but there were some cool "God-things" that happened along the way letting us know everything was going to be alright.
For example she had interviewed at two different companies and one company offered her a position and she was waiting on the other company because she really felt she wanted that position.  Well as the time got closer and closer to where she had to make a decision the pressure mounted and after she chose to pursue one job she received an email stating the other job wasn't going to offer her a position.  So, good choice there.  Another day when she was making some tough choices she read her daily devotional and it spoke almost directly to what she was going through....the devotional spoke about letting go and trusting God and that with new opportunities comes worry, but trust that God will see you through it all.  Coincidence that devotional happened to fall on the day she had to make a choice?  I think not! 
Looking back all along the way signs popped up letting us know we were on the right path.  Just little things that you could chalk up to coincidence, but looking at them now you see God's hand in it all.  Even if things don't work out as we have envisioned and hoped we know that God will see us through it all.  There might be some rough patches, but we know that God will still be guiding us and helping us through.  The whole experience was a neat reminder that even though God doesn't generally speak through lightening or direct booming voice we could see and feel God's hand in the process.  So, if you are struggling with a tough decision know that no matter what the outcome God will still be with you, and if you heard the sermon on Sunday never underestimate the power of prayer!  God will help guide you...you just need to know how to listen!

Patience...I'm told it's a virture

As some of you may or may not know I do not have a lot of patience.  I can do a good job of faking it for awhile, but I would say on a whole patience is something I really, really have to work at.  I'm also starting to suspect that my two young boys are rapidly figuring out I don't have a lot of patience and are continually finding new ways to test them.  I think by the time they're 10 they will have out grown this...right?!?!  I know, I know...your kids will always test your patience. 
Take this morning for instance.  The boys know there is not video games before school, and if mom had her way there wouldn't be video games period!  But that's a different post.  Usually I get the boys up, then as I get dressed for the morning so do they, and then I usually have to take Alex's clothes off and put them on the right way, but at least he's trying.  So this morning I come out of the bedroom and I hear a funny noise...sounds like a video game.  Sure enough...for the second morning in a row one of my son's is sitting in his underwear playing a video game instead of being dressed and ready to go.  I didn't handle it well yesterday, and I surely didn't handle it well this morning.  As I stated above I don't have patience for stuff like that.  They both know the rule, but they just have to test the boundaries.  I could spend a day or two writing about how my patience get's tested, but I bet anyone reading this can relate to people/kids testing their patience at some point or another. 
As I was sitting in the bus this morning I got to wondering if I can increase my patience level.  I'm 36, and I'm fairly stuck in my ways, but there has to be some trick to getting more patience right?  Maybe I count to 10 before I dole out any discipline.  Maybe I remember all of the times I've tried my parent's patience.  Maybe I can pray for God to help me in this area.  I suppose all of those things will help, but I'm afraid this may always be a character flaw.
Every time I consider my lack of patience and how frustrating it can be to watch a 7 year old eat with his fingers and drop food on the floor for the millionth time I wonder how God does it.  How many times have I, and has all of humanity, caused God to lose his patience?  I think Noah and the flood might have been the closet God has come to just throwing God's hands in the air and saying enough!  Then, think about all of the stuff that's happened since then.  How much war and bloodshed and suffering.  I think about the times when I've made the same mistake for the millionth time or I have failed to learn a lesson.  How lucky are we that God doesn't lost God's patience with us?  If anyone every had just cause to I'd imagine God reached that point a long time ago.  Thank God that the Spirit is infinitely patient and that no matter how many times we've messed up we can repent and be forgiven.  In many ways God is like a parent, except God is the perfect parent.  Never losing patience, never giving up on us, and God will never stop loving us.  I think I need to realize that more, and not take for granted how good God is.  Maybe if I can be more mindful of how patient God is with me I can be more patient when mud is tracked through the house again for the 100th time!  Remember, God is great, and God loves you!  No take a deep breath...in out...in out...

I'm SUPER excited!!

Some of you may or may not know, but our family took a trip to Kentucky this past week for my sister-in-law's wedding.  Kentucky is a beautiful state, and the wedding reflected the beauty around us.  Congratulations to Darcy and Jeremy!  One of the neat things on the trip was sitting by my youngest son Alex.  This was his first airplane ride, and man was he pumped!  All I heard on that first flight was, "I'm super excited dad...I'm super excited!  This is super fun...this is super fun!"  His eyes were wide opened and he loved looking out the window and watching the small cars and semis below us.  I've never seen a kid maintain that level of excitement before.  He was truly having the time of his life, and his excitement was infectious.  Even I enjoyed the plan ride even though I could have used about 12 inches more space in between my seat and the seat in front of me.  One couldn't help but have a good time
Attitude has huge influence on the way we experience life.  I know I'm not revealing anything new, but I was reminded of that fact on my flight with Alex.  I never like plane rides (they aren't designed for tall people), and I was certainly wondering how a flight would be with a squirmy 3 year old by me.  I had visions of cramped quarters, irate passengers because they didn't appreciate the massage his little feet could give them, and an hour of are we there yet.  I had decided before I even got there I was going to have a bad flight.  If Alex hadn't been so good and so excited my attitude would have made it a bad flight and experience for both of us. 
How many times have we made a situation worse because our attitude was terrible?  I'm afraid to count honestly.  I'm really good at letting my preconceived notions about a situation dictate how I go into it.  If I think it's going to be a bad experience before I even get there then you know what....more times then not I have a bad experience.  When I look back at those experiences I can see that if I would have went with an open mind then the experience wouldn't have been so bad at all.  Attitude shapes us all the time, and we can control our attitude. 
Thinking a little deeper I believe our attitude changes others around us too.  Think of a time when you were in a meeting and someone walked in with a sour attitude.  What happened to the tenor of that meeting?  It generally follows the grumpy person right?  Conversely, what happened when someone with some real excitement and enthusiasm came into a meeting?  The energy picked up and most likely it's was successful meeting, or at least as successful as meetings can be.  A 3 year old had a huge influence on my experience on the airplane, and I'd even go as far to say he influenced how I experienced the rest of the trip.  His unbridled enthusiasm got the trip started off on the right foot and it was great from there.
I challenge you, and I challenge myself, to take a look at my attitude before I go into something.  I certainly don't want to be the person who brings the whole room down.  I'd rather be the person who lifts the spirits of the room.  I know that I can't always be sunshine and rainbows, but at the very least I can keep the negativity and preconceived notions at bay so I can at least start the experience with an open mind.  Do you think you could try that too?

Holy Week

Isaac asked me the other day if it was still winter.  I told him that according to the calendar it was spring.  He proceeded to tell me that the evidence outside would seem to indicate that the calendar is wrong.  Frankly, I couldn't argue with him.  Aren't we all eagerly anticipating the arrival of spring?  I personally can't wait until the warm weather hits, the grass begins to green, and we can start our spring sports with an eye towards summer break.  My thought through all of this is whether or not we are anticipating the celebration of Easter as much or more.
We have begun one of the most important weeks of the Christian year, but how many of us truly pause to consider what this week means to us.  It is easy to glide right through this week, maybe attend church on Easter Sunday, eat some Easter ham, and then go right back to waiting for spring to arrive.  If we do that, I believe we miss an important chance to reconnect and deepen our connection with the Spirit.  Will we take the time to ponder what it means that the creator of everything became a human, suffered, and died for us?  Will we take a minute to consider if we are living our lives in a way that honors that sacrifice?  Will we even be able to pause and take a breath from eating all the Easter candy to consider what we are celebrating that early Easter morning?  I certainly hope so.
I've been on a kick lately because I've discovered that I all to easily jump right from the celebration of Palm Sunday to the celebration of Easter Sunday.  Didn't I miss an important event somewhere in the middle there?  What about the trial, torture, and death of Jesus?  There were certainly some dark times during that week, but I don't like to think about that too much.  Why I ask?  Maybe it makes me feel uncomfortable thinking about how Jesus was treated.  Maybe I feel a little guilty that my sin may have been one of the reasons he had to endure that horrible experience.  Maybe, just maybe it makes this whole faith thing a little to real when I think that God died to show me just how much he loves me.  When I think about it that way, then I can't help but want to strengthen my connection and tap into that sort of love.  Wouldn't you?  There is no greater sacrifice then one's life, and our God showed us just how far he'll go to show us his love.  Are you willing to accept that love, and then do your absolute best to live a life to honor that love?  I hope so...I hope I am.  Let us celebrate that show of love this Holy Week.

March Madness

What comes to mind when you hear the phrase "March Madness"?  NCAA basketball?  Maybe the
madness that creeps in as winter gets too long and you can't wait for spring to be here?  Whatever you might think of...the first thing that pops into my head is the college basketball tournament.  I admit that I do fill a bracket out trying to predict the winners, and I'll also admit that I'm not very good at it.  Case and point is the fact that my wife and I have been competing against each other year after year to see who does better with their brackets.  We've been married 11 years, we've done a bracket each year, and I have won once.  Yup...I'm 1 for 10, a 10% winning percentage. 
Isaac was asking me about the brackets this year and as I was telling him about this competition, as if it is really even a competition anymore, and I tired to explain to him how hard it was to lose each year and make it look like I was trying to win.  I told him it was important to daddy that mom's self esteem be built up this time of the year and that I had to let her win most of the time.  He wasn't buying it...the kid's 6 and he has already figured out I'm full of it a lot of the time.  I promised him that the honor of the Wohlhuter men was on this years challenge and that him and I combined could take mom of her championship post.  Stay tuned to see what happens.
If you'll engage in a little mental stretching with me we are about to celebrate another kind of tournament victory in a couple months.  Jesus is going to win the ultimate game against sin and death when he is resurrected from the tomb.  As we prepare for the joy of Palm Sunday, the darkness that follows Maundy Thursday and Black Friday, and eventually the greatness that is Easter I want all of us to think about what Jesus' victory means.  How do we say thank you to Jesus for his gift of eternal life and forgiveness that he secured for us so long ago?  Do we live a life that reflects the selflessness that Jesus showed on his journey to the cross?  Does the fact that our freedom has been bought with a price affect how we live our lives?  Easter is certainly a celebration, and it should be a reminder that we are called to live as best we can as lights of the Spirit.  Take these next two weeks and take note of where we could do better, and take note of where we are living a Godly life.  And, if you have some inside tips on the tourny I'll take those too!

Habits...

As some of you may or may not know I've been taking a class to become an EMT.  So far so good, as long as I can pass a few more tests I'll be certified as an EMT(and that is a big IF).  As part of my class I have to spend some time in an ER and riding along in an ambulance.  The past 2 weekends I've spent 16 hours divided between Jennie and Mercy Hospitals in Council Bluffs.  I have learned a lot,  but what has struck me is the habits that people get in and can't get out of.  Like I'm one to talk much though...I have more than a few bad habits that I'd like to stop but I can't, and I'd like to implement a few better habits but can't.  But what I've seen amazes me.

A patient comes into the ER with complaints of chest pain.  The pain was a 9 out of 10, which is pretty bad, and he/she was really scared.  After running some quick tests it was determined the patient wasn't having a massive heart attack, but the patient still needed to wait for some blood work to be done to see if a minor heart attack had occurred.  I imagine the only minor heart attack is one that happens to someone else!  As we're waiting for the results the nurse and I get some history from the patient.  The history sounds like this: smoker, diabetic, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, no exercise, poor diet, heart attack in December last year, father died of massive heart attack as did the patient's mother.  Holy Cow!  Walking time bomb.

I kept thinking to myself how many signs does this patient need to let him/her know that maybe it's time to change his/her lifestyle before it's too late?  I mean really...this patient had every risk factor known for heart disease and he/she wasn't controlling the risk factors he/she could eliminate.  Why?  Are habits that hard to break?  Does it take surviving 3 "minor" heart attacks to change your lifestyle?  Maybe it takes a major heart attack before things will change.

I know I find it hard to change a habit unless I see immediate results or the negative effects of the habit are hurting me right now.  I struggled forever starting and sticking to a diet until I finally committed to one and saw results.  I fail sticking to it now because the results aren't as obvious and maintaining isn't as exciting as losing.  Other habits I'd like to start are difficult because the payoff isn't going to come until well into the future, such as saving more for retirement or a house eventually.  We humans like immediate gratification.  And sometimes working on our relationship with God doesn't seem to pay off immediately.  We don't get the immediate answer to our prayers, or at least the answer we think we need/deserve, and we don't get an immediate voice or light from heaven.  Sometimes the pay off doesn't come later until we really need that connection and the time and effort put into building it pays off.  It is hard for me, and I'm going to assume others, to get into habits that don't payoff immediately, such as tithing to church, having a strong prayer and devotional life, and so on and so on.  We don't see immediate results so we wait until there is a disaster and then turn to God in prayer and maybe we give more of our time and of ourselves for awhile, but after the immediate threat is gone we fall away again.  Would a stronger relationship before the disaster kept it at bay? Probably not, but having a strong foundation to stand on helps in all aspects of life instead of struggling when crisis occur and you'd wish you had something more solid to stand on.

Just as staying healthy is an investment in our future, building our relationship with God is an investment in our future.  Let's hope that by being proactive now we don't have to have a crisis to turn our attention to what's important and shift our focus.  Can we make it a priority now to spend some time getting to know God better and making that a habit?  Build a solid foundation now and it is less likely to crumble in the future.

Storm of the Century!!

3 days left!  3 days to buy your supplies and be prepared to hunker down in your house for at least a day or 2.  That's right!  Because of the predicted 6 to 12 inches, maybe more, of snow you had better be ready to ride it out in your house for at least a day maybe even two.  Are you prepared?  Do you have enough food and water?  Do you have a generator ready to power the electronic babysitters in-case the power goes out?  What will we do?  Better make sure you hit up the grocery store and anywhere else you can buy supplies!
I love the predictions.  I've even seen parents telling their kids there will be snow days on Thursday and Friday.  I hope it does snow.  I like the snow, and the good news is now we're getting close enough to spring that it won't stay around forever, and maybe it will give us some much needed water.  So I'm with Mike...bring it on Mother Nature!
I hope you read some sarcasm in the previous paragraph asking if we're prepared to spend a day or two cooped up in the house.  I think the scariest sentence in that paragraph though is what happens if the power goes out?  No TV, no video games, no internet...oh my gosh no Facebook!  The humanity!  Whenever there is a snow storm and you are in your house for more than a day it doesn't take long for cabin fever to kick in.  Even though you really have no where to go it is almost like you've been stuck in that place for two weeks and just need to get out before you go nuts.  And if the electricity goes out, besides the fact it is going to get cold, how are you going to entertain yourself.  You might have to actually interact with your family.  You might have to break out a book and/or play a board game.  Would we survive? 
I think there is a lesson here, and it's not to buy a generator.  The lesson is how all of our stuff keeps us distracted from our families and from God.  We're so busy trying to keep up with whatever is going on in the world through various connections that we neglect the most important connections.  Our connections with God and our family.  What happens if you have a rule in your house no electronic devices during the week, except for work or school necessities?  Would you recognize your family?  Would you know what to do?  Of course I'm exaggerating a little bit, but I think we need to be careful in how distracted and busy we keep ourselves.  It is easy to lose the connection with the Spirit, and even your connection with your family.  During this Lenten season of sacrifice why don't we try to limit our time spent on electronic stuff and focus a little more attention on the Spirit and our own families.  I know it won't be time wasted, and I bet you'll even find you can enjoy each other!  Who's with me?

Boys will be boys

Tracy and Alex have been gone since Thursday, so on Friday I told Isaac he could have a friend stay over.  Oh the joys of listening to and witnessing two boys play.  If they are involved in a competition then they argue over every little thing, and if they are trying to decide what to do next each one is desperately trying to convince the other that their idea is the most fun.  Luckily it didn't come to fistacuffs, and I reminded Isaac that his friend was the guest in our house, which I'm not sure registered.  I was reminded of the times I played with my best friend as I was growing up.  We would almost kill each other over a game of 1 on 1 basketball.  But, as with most boys, and with Isaac and his buddy, when we were done playing it was all in the past and we were bust buds again.  I had to keep reminding myself of my past growing up to keep myself from barging into the room and telling them both to knock it off and get along! 
As I pondered my blog for the week I wondered how often God wants to barge into our world, or our rooms, and just scream at us to get along.  I would assume almost every minute of every day!  I'm not sure why God doesn't make us all get along.  I'm sure the answer to that question is about as easy to answer as to why God allows bad things to happen at all.  But we don't do a good job of getting along as a human race do we?  People starve as we eat pretty much when and what we want.  People go without basic needs for shelter and water while we redecorate our homes and by designer water in stores.  I suppose I could go on but I'm depressing myself.  If we don't like looking at the macro scale of human relations we can look at the micro scale.  Think how easy it is to put someone down, gossip about someone, and feel angry towards someone that we know.  There have been times when all of us have acted like little children when we didn't get our way and probably threw the same tantrums.  Why is it we find it easy to tear down instead of build up?  Why do we insist on our own way and argue like crazy whenever we feel like maybe we didn't get exactly what we think we deserve or earned?  In essence we never stop being kids who want their own way...especially when it comes to how we think we want our lives to go.
This Lenten season I have a challenge for you.  I don't want you to give something up...I want you to take something on.  Think of a friend...think of a family member...think of an enemy...someone you've not been close with for whatever reason and reach out to them.  Say you're wrong if you made a mistake.  Forgive them if they've wronged you.  Reach out to someone who needs to hear from you.  Make an effort to put someone else first for a change and see how rewarding and freeing it can be for you.  So...who's it gonna be? 

Client's Corner

Every month or so I get an email from my financial adviser.  I look forward to reading his emails because he'll forward an article and write some of his own thoughts on the market and investment strategies.  I like reading them because they keep me grounded.  When the market was in free fall a few years ago the articles came more frequently and they always contained data that showed what happened to people who jumped ship and to those that stayed the course in investing.  It's not like I have a ton of money in the market, but I enjoyed, and still enjoy, those articles because they remind me that I am a lifetime investor.  The articles showed the folly of trying to time the market and get in and get out at the right time.  I also enjoy talking to Ryan and going over our retirement plan every so often because it assures me that Tracy and I are taking the right steps now to ensure we can live comfortably in retirement.  We won't be on a private island somewhere, or traveling to exotic locations all the time, but we should be able to keep a roof over our head and some food in the cupboards.  It's good to be reminded once in awhile amongst all the doom and gloom that there is a rhyme and reason to all this and the future is something to look forward to and not dread.
As I was contemplating the last article Ryan sent I thought this would be good advice for life too.  Sometimes we get so caught up in the immediate goings on of the present that we forget the lessons of the past and the promises of God for the future.  Sometimes the rat race keeps us form seeing the forest because of all of the trees.  Wait, did I just mix a metaphor there?  Anyway, my point is we need to be reminded sometimes that there is a bigger picture.  God is in control, and even though life may seem like an out of control freight train sometimes we can be assured that God will never abandon us or forsake us.  We may certainly question sometimes what the world God's plan may be, but we should never doubt the fact that God is walking with us on our journey no matter how bad the present may be.
A good way to be grounded is to read some articles that God has given to us.  And by articles I mean the Bible.  Reading the Bible connects us to what God has done in the past for God's people, and also connects us to what God is doing for us in the present and will do for us in the future.  No matter how many times you've read the Bible something new will stick out, a new message can be taken from it's passages, and God can speak to you again.  Not only does reading the Bible remind us of God's actions and faithfulness in the past, it also gives us a concrete way to connect to God's plan for our lives going forward.  I challenge you to read your Bible for 30 days straight.  If you can commit to 30 days, for 15 minutes a day, I promise you that you will feel connected to God in a whole new way.  Let the Spirit work in your life.  The path may not be easy, but I promise the reminder and belief that no matter the trouble that God is with you will help ease the  burden.  Take the challenge and see if God's investment strategies for the future can give you a guide.

Following directions

I finished two projects on the to do list this past weekend.  I assembled a kitchen cart that our microwave sits on, and I assembled a TV stand.  We sorely needed both, and with my incredible construction knowledge and the eager willingness of two boys to "help" we got them put together.  What I found interesting, besides the terror of a three year old with a hammer, was the difference in directions that came with both.  One set was very detailed, and the other set was basically pictures, letters, and numbers and you were left to your own devices.  So which one do you think was easier to follow?  Actually, they both presented different challenges, and neither one was really easier.
I would have thought that the more detailed directions would make things easier, but sometimes they were too detailed and I found myself skipping over something or not being able to make heads or tails of what they were trying to say.  The directions with pictures, letters, and numbers was a little hard at the start, but once I got the gist of the instructions things went a long smoothly.  A quick aside: as I was assembling the kitchen cart I noticed that they sent me two pairs of right handed hinges and one pair of left handed hinges.  Well, I needed one right and two left.  After a minute, or 10, of using every curse word I could think of...carefully keeping them to myself because little ears were around...I decided to "modify" the hinges.  Yup, I knew better then the directions, and obviously someone messed up the packaging, so I set off to fix it.  Well, after some modifying I took a closer look at the directions and ended up unmodifying the hinges!  I wasn't completely wrong, but I made more work for myself unnecessarily.
Don't we wish life came with a set of directions?  I know I was looking around for the manual when we brought Isaac home for the first time!  If you're like me maybe you think that life would be easier if we had step by step instructions on how to get form here to there.  Well, maybe life could be easier, but do you think we'd follow the instructions carefully enough?  Or would you be like me and find the detailed instructions too easy and find yourself skipping a step or two and ending up starting over again.  Maybe you'd like some general guidelines, but then think you needed to modify somethings in your life because obviously the directions are wrong.  You know what?  We do have a manual for our lives and it is the Bible.  I bet you didn't see that one coming!  The Bible might not be able to spell out for us how we are to act in each and every situation we face.  The Bible might not be able to spell out for us how we raise perfect children, attain the 5 bedroom house and the 3rd car we just drive around in the summer, but the Bible does tell us how we can live a happy and content life.  There is a catch though...You need to read it, and better yet you need to follow the direction the Spirit gives you.  I know, pretty deep thoughts, but if you're searching for direction in your life the Bible is always a good place to turn.  Can you find time to read it?

Assuming the worst

I don't know if any of you are like me or not, but when it comes to an uncertain outcome I usually assume the worst.  Does that sound familiar?  Last Thursday I had my first big exam in my EMT class.  The test consisted of 75 multiple guess questions.  Of course you can eliminate 2 answers fairly easily, and then you have to choose between the 2 remaining answers.  Well, a lot of the time both of the 2 remaining answers were "right", and you had to pick the best answer.  I just love questions that start with: "Choose the best answer."  Ugh!  Needless to say I completed the test and I felt pretty dumb.  Then the instructor says he isn't going to grade them until the next night.  Awesome, now I get a whole day to wonder how I did.
Well, wonder I did.  I didn't sleep good the night after the test because I kept thinking of questions and answers and if I got the answer right.  Then I'd wonder what happens if I fail the test?  Does that mean I'm not supposed to be in the class?  Will everyone laugh at me because I couldn't pass the EMT class?  Will Tracy divorce me because all she's ever wanted in life is to be married to an EMT?  Okay, so that last question never entered my mind, but the other ones did along with a few more.  I immediately jumped to the worst possible conclusion.  Why?  I had no real reason to.  I knew I got a couple questions wrong, but other then that I had done everything I could do to prepare for the test.  I could honestly say I could do no more to prepare.  So why did I assume the sky was falling?
I'm pretty good at assuming the worst when it comes to things I do sometimes.  I'm very good at helping others look at the bright side and keep their head up, but when it comes to me and my stuff I still tend to assume the worst.  I could us a radio personality's theory on life: he doesn't want to be an optimist because then when good things happen you aren't happy because you expected it, and when bad things happen you're crushed.  He'd rather go through life as a pessimist because then when bad things happen you expect them and when good things happen you're pleasantly surprised.  Not a real cheerful person do be around I imagine.
When I/we assume the worst outcome I think we're doubting God a little bit.  Sure there are times in our lives when we don't do so good at something, but that doesn't mean the sky is falling does it?  I could give you all kinds of quotes about failing, but I think we all know that the important part is getting back up again.  So instead of assuming the worst outcome I/we need to have a little more faith in ourselves and in God.  No matter the outcome of the class for me God is still going to be at work in my life and life will go on.  And I know that if I put the work in I will do just fine.  Plus, nothing ventured nothing gained right?  So the next time I want to assume the worst I need to remember to look at the big picture and to remember that optimism is always more enjoyable than pessimism.  God isn't finished with me yet...I'm certainly still a work in progress so ups and downs are an expected way of life. 

PS-I did ok on the test if you're wondering

Ugh...now what?

Sometimes I wonder if the week after New Year's is the most depressing week of the entire year.  The build up of the holiday season is done, Christmas and New Years has past, school starts again, and all we have to look forward to is 3 or 4 more months of snow.  Plus, you have to deal with the stress of increased illnesses this time of year, and not getting the Christmas present you wanted!  Ok, so maybe one of those last two are a little silly, but really the Monday after New Years has to be one of the most depressing days of the entire year.
Whoa...did you just read that?  I depressed myself typing it, and I suppose if you look at the year like that you'll be depressed too.  I heard a statistic that made me chuckle on TV.  And, if it is on TV then you know it is true.  40% of adults make a New Year's resolution...8% keep that resolution.  What's worse...that only 40% of adults make a resolution to do something better, which might mean 60% of adults have given up on doing anything better, or that only 8% follow through with the resolution?  I'm one who doesn't make New Year's resolutions, and I haven't given up on trying to make myself better.  I've just found that resolutions are only going to work when I decide to commit the will power into making them work.
Now that I've completely bummed you out to start the year I want to say there is something refreshing about throwing that old calendar away and starting a new one.  You have an entire year in front of you in which you can start fresh if you want, and throwing that old calendar away helps you put the past behind you.  See, New Years isn't all bad.  I think we need a little New Years in our spiritual life too.  We need to be able to let go of past failures and hurts and start anew.  Just like tossing out that old calendar and looking at a new calendar just waiting to be filled.
The good news for us is that Jesus forgets our past mistakes when we ask for forgiveness.  We are the ones who continually hold on to them and can't let go.  Once we've confessed a sin it is forgotten, and we'd do good to remember that some more.  We can have a fresh start.  We can begin to reshape our lives and change our lives with the help of the Spirit.  We just need to be willing to turn that page on our lives and look forward to the life we have ahead of us.  A life that may not be perfect, but a life full of opportunities to live out the love, grace, and forgiveness that Jesus offers to all of us.  So, maybe one New Year's resolution could be to let go of the past and let Jesus help you with the present and future.  I think that one has a much better chance then 8% of succeeding!