I Never Knew That!

I am one of those guys who love to watch a good war movie now and then especially if nothing else good is on (football, nascar, fishing shows, etc...). I probably have seen most war movies but every so often I see one I didn't. In this case I had actually seen the movie numerous times. The movie was The Bridge Over the River Kwai. In case you have been deprived of seeing it, the story is about a prison camp in the far east where the British POWS actually build the Japanese a sound railroad bridge. A team of commandos are sent in to blow it up to prevent the enemy from advancing further. The British commander tries to stop them but ends up realizing what he has done an blows it up himself. What I never realized all the times I had watched the movie was that it was a true story. There was actually a bridge and it was blown up after it was completed. I wonder how many others didn't know it was a true story.

I was reading my Bible the following morning and my thoughts went back to my learning the bridge was a real bridge and it was destroyed after its completion. I felt the Holy Spirit was asking me how many people are in the dark about His Word as I was about the bridge. Some folks see the Bible as a good story with adventure and action and all the different things in it that makes a story good. The problem is that the Bible is not just a story. It is an account of the creation of the world, the fal of man, God's coming to this world as a man and the revelation of what will happen in the near future during the endtimes. God reveals Himself throughout the Scriptures so we might know Him personally. He tells us what He wants for us and how we can enter into eternity and spend it with Him. Its not just a story! It is a manual for life so we can make it through this life and go to be with Him forever. He created us to be in communion with Him but that was broken because of sin. The story, if it would have ended there, would see all of us in Hell. But thankfully He knew man would mess it up so before the world was even formed He had a plan for Salvation in the works. He would send Jesus to die for our sins and He would rise from the dead to give us life and hope. The Holy Spirit is the person who applies it to us when we believe in Christ. I do not understand it, but there are those who reject the gift of salvation and perish in their sin. The worse part is that they will spend eternity knowing they had the opportunity but refused to take it.

I hope that you are one of those who know that the Story is real. No names were changed to protect the innocent because no one is innocent but the Lamb of God Jesus Christ! When you know the truth, the truth will set you free! You think a bridge blowing up was great ending! Wait till you see how God finishes up His Story!

Christmas: A Season of Joy?

Christmas! Just as the song says , I believe it can be "The Most Wonderful Time Of the Year". You see the faces of kids checking out all the toys they want for Christmas. All the stores decorate to entice the shoppers to buy their goods. There are all kinds of parties that are scheduled. Families come together for meals and to share stories and memories of Christmas past. Homes in our neighborhoods are lit up with all kinds of lights and yard decorations. But we often forget that this time of year many folks feel sad because they have lost a loved one that year. I know several people who have experienced such loss. This season was the first Christmas without their precious loved one. The memories seem to increase their sense of loss. Some of those folks who have passed away loved Christmas which makes it even harder for the ones left behind. But until God comes back for His people, there will be many others who will experience the same loss.

I recall the first Christmas that I celebrated after my own mother passed away. It was strange feeling not having her here to celebrate Christmas. I missed having her here but there was thing that I did realize. She was celebrating her first Christmas with Jesus in Heaven. She was walking around without crutches and no more cancer. For the first time in her life she was enjoying the Christmas season free of any pain or heartaches. She was now with others in my family that have left their earthly existence for an eternal one. As much as I loved them I would never want them to give that up to be here. I certainly wouldn't want to come back here if I was there! The other thing I realize is that if God tarries until after next Christmas, there will be more who will go through the same experience. My hope is that God would come back quickly so no one else will have to suffer such loss. I look forward to the day when we celebrate Christmas in our heavenly home.

I trust that you had a great Christmas and that God will bless you in the coming year. Look forward to the time we will celebrate our last Christmas here and go to celebrate it with all those who really know what it means to celebrate Christmas in the most glorious way!

Time For Some Political Incorrectness!

Last night Heidie and I were watching a Movie on the Angel 2 network entitled "The Perfect Gift". The story was about a drifter who comes to this town and meets an associate pastor and offers to build a nativity set for him on the churches property. He befriends a girl named Max (Maxine) and helps her understand what Christmas is really all about. Max's mother works for a company who was having a holiday party but who wanted to be politically correct by calling it a winter gala. After the nativity set was built, some guys show up telling the associate pastor that they had to remove it because it was against the codes to erect it in a business zone. It was torn down by some men from this political group. But folks from the town came by and saw it was down and rebuilt it. A town meeting was held to determine it's future. The guy from the group who wanted it down challenged the people saying their beliefs weren't as important as the money for the fine was. Max took money she got from her grandmother and laid on the table. She was followed by everyone in the room including some members from the council. They took a stand to defend their rights to have that nativity on the church's property.

If it wasn't for the fact that this is going on today at many places all over the country, it would have been just another great story. But the fact is that is does happen and it seems to be increasing all the time. It is called being "politically correct". We are being told we need to be politically correct when it comes to all sorts of things. We are redefining terms because they might be construed as an offense to this group or that group. People that are short are now called vertically challenged. People that are on welfare are economically challenged and so on and so forth. The list goes on and new terms are being added all the time. Our religious freedoms are being eroded and taken away because a small minority don't like religion. They are opposed to it and are trying to force us to be quiet about ours. Actually, I should say that they are opposed to Christianity. Most of them don't care about any other religion but focus on trying to remove Christianity from every vestige of society. The problem is that our nation was founded on biblical principles and God was a central theme. All you need to do is simply read what our founding forefathers wrote time and time again. The ACLU wants to force us to be quiet and become politically correct. I do not know about you, but I think it is time we stopped caving in to their wishes and take a stand. We need to let our little light shine as we sung many times as children. We need to stop being politically correct and be spiritually correct instead. I was told a cross on my deck was offensive and I should remove it. Guess what? It is still there. I might take it down one day but only to replace it with a new one. Let's not worry about what man thinks about our views and beliefs but lets be more concerned what God thinks! We know the truth and we need to get it out. Remember the whole reason we have Christmas is because many years ago God came to this earth as a baby and we celebrate that birth once again!

Remember I said about Max's mother and the company she worked for? She was challenged herself by Max and took a stand and won out with the company. They called it a Christmas party after all! Max learned about true Christmas because of the drifter. You will have to get the movie to see who that drifter was. Even the associate pastor found new courage to start a church were the real truth could be shared. Who was the drifter? Get the movie! It is well worth it! Merry Christmas

A Wise Wife

The other day, as my wife and I were talking while we were doing the dishes, she told me something that made me listen very closely. We had been watching the Christmas special "Nestor the Long Ear Donkey" and so we were talking about it. She made the comment about it and Rudolph I found very interesting. She said that both Nestor and Rudolph had issues with physical defects which caused them problems with those around them. She said that the shows took these creatures and ended up showing them doing something special. Their "defects" actually turned out to be something they used for a great purpose. Nestor got Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem while Rudolph got Santa through to deliver toys to the kids. She wondered if that wasn't the reason the characters had the "defects". She figured the ones who wrote these shows did so to encourage kids not to give up because of their "defect" whatever it may be. She was much more aware than most folks when it came to the shows.

In college, I had a friend who was born deformed from birth. His knees didn't bend and his arms were basically crossed. His "defects" didn't seem to bother him at all. He worked on cars and even on electronics as though he was perfectly normal. My Mother met him and stayed with his family when they came out to my graduation. My mother asked me how come I didn't tell her that he was handicapped. I told her he didn't see himself as handicap. He wouldn't let his deformity stop him from living a normal life. People that have "defects" often let their "defects" control their lives and never live life to the fullest. They view themselves as defective and it distorts their whole existence. Others make folks with defects or handicaps feel like they are less of people because of their particular problems. Neither of those views are healthy. Just because someone is not perfect physically does mean they are less of a person than someone who is. God even used a donkey to get a message through to Baalam when nothing else did. God uses foolish things of the world to confound the wise and the weak things to take down the strong. We all have our own defects yet God chooses to use us for His glory and kingdom even with our defects. After all, God doesn't wait for us to become perfect before He accepts us but loves us as we are and loves us too much to let us stay the way He found us!

Just as Nestor and Rudolph found their special gift in their "defects", we can rest assured that God has a plan to use our "defects" in ways we never imagined possible. Sometimes it takes a while for it to show up! Remember that God uses "cracked pots"! Thanks Heidie!

Friendly Visit to the Dentist

Tuesday I woke up and was going about getting ready for work when I realized something was wrong. My tongue felt something wasn't right with a tooth. I felt one tooth was missing a chunk from it. I looked at my mouth with a dental mirror and confirmed what I thought. I got dressed and left for work. As soon as I was at work, I called the dentist and was blessed to find they had an opening becuase someone cancelled. I went to the dentist and they checked the tooth out. The dentist proceeded to remove the old filling and clean up the tooth. He restored the tooth and told me to be careful not to eat anything hard. He told me it would need some further work. I was glad to get it done and get back to work. Of course the tooth seemed to hurt worse after he was done than it did before.

While I was driving home, I knew God was teaching me something from this experience. I realized that God is much like the dentist when it comes to our lives. He made us to be in a relationship with Him. But Adam messed that up and caused that relationship to be broken as a result of sin. But He loved us so much He sent His Son to this earth to restore the relationship. He takes what is messed up and hurting and brings it back to where He had planned for it to be all along. He desires to remove the old filling (sin) and repalce it with His grace and restore us to wholeness. And just like the dentist, it is not a pain free experince. You see it is because of the pain of sin that we realize something is wrong. Just like a cavity in a tooth leads to pain, sin in our lives brings pain to our spirit. Like most folk, I will call the dentist when the pain gets too bad. When I finally admit to myself that I have sinned and need forgiveness, I go to God confessing my sin and seeking His forgiveness. He then takes my sin and restores my joy and peace in Him. He makes the pain of the sin go away. And just like the dentist, we end up going back to Him when we mess it up again. The awesome thing is that He doesn't mind because He knows us but desires better things for us.

The thing that really made me think about the dentist visit was what the dentist wants to do to fix the tooth more permanently. He scheduled a visit to put a crown on the tooth next month. I thought about what God has planned for us when we go to be with Him. He has promised a crown to all who are faithful no matter what we did before we met Him as Lord! What a cool thought!

The World Doesn't End

Once again I was reminded that watching Charlie Brown can be a great way to learn some basic truths about life. As it is now the Christmas season, a local channel was running "A Boy Named Charlie Brown" which told the story of Charlie Brown taking part of a spelling bee at his school then going on to the national bee. Charlie Brown was doing really good and it came down to him and one other boy. All his friends were cheering him on and were all excited until the last word. His last word was " beagle" and he missed it. Of all the words for him to miss. He felt depressed and left the building with Linus and Snoopy for the long, lonely bus trip home. He stayed home the next day because he couldn't face his friends. Linus went to Charlie Brown's house and told him something that caught my attention really quick. Linus told him that even though he lost the world didn't come to s stop. His team even won their first game of the season. Charlie Brown thought about it then got up and got dressed. Even though he came in second, life went on for everyone.

I pondered how many times in my own life that when I failed or really messed up I would feel like Charlie Brown. I would often think that life was over and that noone would like me anymore because of it. My emotions would overtake common sense and I would have a good old fashioned pity party for myself. I still do that even today if I don't keep my feelings in check. I think about the times I fail God and that He couldn't love me anymore because I let Him down. But just like Linus, He is always there to remind me that His love is not contingent on my being obedient or always being victorious in an endeavor. He showed His love to me that while I was still a sinner He sent Christ to die for my sins and to give me hope and a restored relationship with Him. I just need to go to Him and ask forgiveness and He gives it to me. His love is like Linus' friendship with Charlie Brown. Linus never cares if Charlie Brown messes up or not. He is just a faithful friend to Charlie Brown. We could all use friends like that in our lives. And we have such a friend in Jesus Christ. Learn what you can from your failures and mistakes and move on with life.

None of us are perfect and will never be until we are with Christ in eternity. But until then let's keep pressing on with life and don't let our shortcomings stop us from living a life that pleases God!When you fail , get up and get dressed and see what lies in store for you!

You Lose!

The other day I was at the local convenience store getting something for dinner. I was getting some chicken for dinner since my wife was at a woman's conference and I had to fend for myself that night. I went and placed my order and was waiting for the chicken to get cooked. While I was waiting, I noticed a man who had bought some lottery tickets and was scratching them off to see if he had won anything. He saw he didn't win so he bought a couple of more tickets. Once again he scratched those tickets only to find he had no winners. He thought for a minute or so then decided to get a couple of more. He had no more luck with those than the previous tickets. He looked in his wallet but found he had nothing left to purchase any more tickets. The clerk said she couldn't believe he didn't win at least something. I shook my head because I have seen the same scenario time and time again when people played the lottery looking to win big only to find they lost and wasted what they did have.

Unfortunately, people have been doing the same thing with their spiritual existence. All of us have a spiritual existence that we must address because we have been created by God as spiritual beings. The fact is we must all make a decision as to what we do with our spirit in regards to Christ.The problem is that many keep looking to the wrong places and things to fulfill their spiritual needs. They look to the things of the world thinking that will give them what they need and desire. The problem is they never win by doing that. Like the man I watched buying those lottery tickets, they lose. They hope and expect to win but always come up short. I had an uncle who I was told won over $45,000.00 playing the lottery. That would have been great but he played over $60,000 to win the $45,000! That is not my definition of winning but losing. Sadly many people will end up losing what they have spiritually because they are going after the wrong things instead of going after what God has to offer them. We may not be rich here on Earth but those riches are temporary anyway so why should we want them? Why not seek those riches that God has for us that no one can take from us and will never fade? Let me encourage you to seek first God's kingdom and His righteousness and "all these things" will be added to you! Wow! With God you never lose but with the world you will never win! By allowing Christ to be our Lord and Savior we will always be winners!

I am reminded of the casinos that have walls of winners but seem to forget about all those who lose to make winners possible! Playing the lottery may have a few winners but only thanks to all the losers who play! Be smart and invest your money wisely!

A Rushed Diagnosis

Yesterday I received a call from my sister Kathie that a friend of hers that has been coming to our church was told to get to Hershey Medical Center emergency because of a problem she was having. She had gone to see a neurologist abut her condition. The doctor checked her out and told her that she either had a tumor or a brain aneurysm. She was of course shocked to hear that and of course experienced the fear that comes along with hearing that kind of news. She had an MRI done and went to the hospital as she was told. She was taken to an exam room and was checked out by a resident. After she checked her out and did some extensive testing, the resident took the information and went to check some of the facts. She had come back and told the patient that the motion sickness patch was the culprit. She deals with motion sickness so she tried using the patch and it worked but unfortunately it had it's side effects. So instead of a tumor or bleeding in the brain, she simply had a drug reaction in her body. She was definitely relieved!

Misdiagnoses in other areas of life happen to people as well. Some folks struggle with something and look for answers in all different places and in different people. The problem is that you have to be careful where you turn for help. There are a lot of people who claim to have the answers to problems but really don't. The problem really lies in that most of our struggles have a root in either our spiritual life or the lack of it. If it sounds good like some of the garbage being spewed out, people buy into it without thinking. What people really need to hear is the truth. The real truth is that we can find the answers in God because He knows the problem and He knows the cure. An alcoholic never finds deliverance from his or her problem until he or she acknowledges the fact that they have a problem. Once they admit it, the freedom can then start for them. We all need God's help to overcome any problem we have because we are fallen and we cannot save ourselves. God has diagnosed our problem as sin. Today a lot of folks are misdiagnosed when it comes to their problem. When people are misdiagnosed with medical conditions, they can suffer numerous consequences including death. When someone isn't diagnosed properly when addressing their sin, it leads to eternal death. We need to make sure of the diagnosis and be honest with folks when they ask us how to deal with their condition

I gave her some comforting words as she was told it was a drug interaction. I told her what a wise man (Arnold Schwarzenegger) once said "It's not a tumor"! Let's tell folks they're sinners but don't forget to do it in love and give them the remedy too!

Not Again Charlie Brown!

Poor Charlie Brown! How would you like to have his life? He is never invited to parties, doesn't get any valentines and he always seems to mess things up. His team never wins a ball game and everybody calls him a blockhead! What a life! Charlie Brown keeps thinking that one day things will change for him. One of his goals is to finally kick the football! Lucy has always told Charlie Brown that she will hold the football so he can kick it. The problem is that just as he gets up to the football she yanks the football out of the way and Charlie Brown goes flying up in the air and lands on the ground. In the beginning of It's The Great pumpkin Charlie Brown, she makes the same offer. He refuses because he knows what she would do. This time she hands him a paper that says she will let him actually kick it this time. He looks at the paper and she tells him it is a contract. He starts to think about it and convinces himself that this time was different. Guess what? It wasn't! He makes up his mind to go for it and just as he gets to the ball, Lucy once again yanks it away and Charlie Brown goes flying one more time and lands with Lucy standing over him. It is then he realizes that she never signed the contract! Once again Charlie Brown has failed to kick the football and have others laugh at him.

Some folks are more like Charlie Brown than they wish to admit to being. I am like him sometimes. You see people have things in their lives that they constantly strive to overcome and never seem to be able to "kick the football". They keep trying time and time again but always end up with the same result. They miss the ball and fall flat on their backs. Someone always seem to pull the ball away and they fail. The results are always the same because the ball or the person holding it never changes. Growing up I was told doing the same thing and expecting different results is the definition of insanity. Israel in their history kept doing the same thing and got the same results. They would fall away and God would punish them for their sin until they cried out and He would deliver them again. Before any of us throw the proverbial stones, let us remind ourselves that we often do the same thing. The only way to change and finally get victory is to change the holder. Let us depend on God's strength and His power and we can change. You see God will never pull the ball but He will encourage us as we run towards the ball or task He has for us to do. He has plans to prosper us not to hurt us. When God is holding the ball, kick away! You cannot lose!

One day Charlie Brown might get smart and say no to Lucy. If he was really smart, he would get Linus to hold the ball since Linus is his true friend. Who is holding your ball?

Blame it on Linus!

Tonight a local channel showed "It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown" because of it being Halloween. I have never realized that even this cartoon can teach us a thing or two. As the kids were getting ready to go trick or treating,Linus went to the pumpkin patch to await the great pumpkin's arrival. The other kids get on their costumes and then go to talk with him. Lucy tells him he is dumb for waiting for the great pumpkin but he refuses to go with them. Sally decides to stay with Linus in the pumpkin patch. She keeps telling him he had better be right. Well, like it does every year, the Great Pumpkin never shows up and Sally gets mad at Linus because she missed out on the candy. She said its all his fault she didn't get any treats. In truth it was her own fault for not going with the others and staying with Linus. He didn't make her do anything. She chose to stay in the pumpkin patch with him.

Isn't that like most people in today's society? There are all sorts of people who make decisions that get them in trouble and ruin their lives. The problem is that they won't take responsibility for their their own choices and the consequences that accompany those choices. They are always quick to blame someone else or some event for their choices. They deny any part of the decision process and act like a victim in the whole thing. The problem is that no matter what they do or think, they are ultimately responsible for their choices. Others may influence them but when it comes right down to it, they are the ones who make the choice. No one else just them! I don't care if it is an addiction like drugs or alcohol or a behavior like stealing or anything else! We choose to do what we want to do and must accept the blame for the consequences. We cannot blame anyone but ourselves when we refuse to do what is right. God tells us that each of us will stand before Him and give an accounting for our lives. No one can stand in my place or your place when we face God. Take responsibility for yourself and what you do, what you say and where you go!

Let's be honest and let's not blame Linus for our behavior! After all, poor Linus misses out on the candy as well as not getting to see the Great Pumpkin! Remember that you could end like Charlie Brown and end up with a lot of rocks in your bag!

Inmates Working??

Last week my wife and I went to Charlotte North Carolina to go to the Nascar race. We had gone down on Wednesday and left to return home on Monday. We travel back and forth from Charlotte to home on I 81 and 77. This time as we were traveling home we had seen a sign that said "Inmates working". We started to look for these inmates as we were riding along that stretch of road. The problem was we didn't see any inmates anywhere but we did see lots of orange garbage bags laying along the side of the road for several miles. We surmised that the powers that be just forgot to take down the signs after the inmates were done picking up the trash along the highway. We didn't see the inmates but we did see the results of their work. The evidence that they had been there were those trash bags.

We often wonder about how God works in our lives or the lives of other people. We are told in His Word that God is at work in people's lives but sometimes it is tough to see what it is that He is doing. More often than not, we see His results in lives of people and marvel what it was that He did. Like the inmates, I didn't see them but I did see their results. God operates in much the same way. Just because we can't see Him doesn't mean that He isn't there or isn't accomplishing something in a person's life. I can recall in my own life how many times I was surprised about how God worked in my life and I wasn't even aware He was doing anything. He wants to do so much for us and to shape and transform us into the image of His Son. He does things in so many different ways. He doesn't always do the work the same way each time. We can trust that He will do what He promised in His word. He said He will do the work that is needed. We need to be willing to let Him do it in His way and in His time. Don't let the enemy deceive you into thinking God is not doing anything for you or in you. Sometimes it is necessary for us to step back and ask Him to show us what He is doing and what He wants to do.

As I thought about it, the work God does in our lives is not too far from what the inmates did along the highway. The inmates picked up trash from the highway and God is desiring to remove the "trash" from our lives to make us holy. I hope you will let Him do His work in you!

Dealing with Stinkbugs

This summer seems to have been a bad year for our area of Pennsylvania as far as stinkbugs go. They seem to be all over the place. Where I work has a lot of them and they even get into the house. When we see them inside, we grab a napkin or tissue and get them without smashing them. When you do, they put off a really bad smell thus the name. People have come up with ways to to deal with them but often times the cure is worse than the disease. At work last week I caught sight of a stinkbug caught in a spider's web. The spider came out and was starting to wrap the bug up when he abruptly stopped. He quickly started to cut the bug away from the web and made it drop to the ground. I can only assume that the spider found something out about his prey. The smell of the stinkbug is his defense and a potent one at that. The spider didn't want him in his web because he wouldn't be able to eat him anyway. So the best thing was to cut away the part of the web that kept the stinkbug from being able to escape. The spider knew there was better things out there to catch and eat.

We recently attended the Ministers Enrichment service one evening. We listened to the speaker share about dealing with our lives and how to move forward when things don't go the way we plan. If I was to ask everyone if that has ever happened to you, all of us would say it has. The speaker was telling us to focus on our strengths and not on our weaknesses. People tend to know what their weaknesses are far more than what their strengths are. We all have weaknesses and we all have strength in certain areas. When we focus so acutely on our weaknesses and shortcomings, we keep from moving forward and growing and instead keep right where we are. What we need to do is admit our weaknesses and ask God to help us get better in those areas but even more importantly we need to understand our strengths and see how God wants to use them for His purpose and His glory. We need to be like the spider and get rid of those things that we hold onto from our past that prevents us from growing closer to Christ and becoming more of the people of God we are called to be. Lets get rid of sin and everything else in our lives that block us from ever being the disciples He desires us to be. If there are things in our lives that will not lead to life and maturity, cut them loose and concentrate on those things that will lead us both onward and upward.

Stinkbugs are a lot like sin. We all deal with sin in our lives. Some are more victorious than others not because they know something that others don't! They are victorious because their focus is on Christ and not how to change themselves through their own strength. Let me encourage you to get the stinkbugs out and cut them loose!

Dealing with the Unexpected

Tuesday of this week a friend of mine lost his dad to a heart attack. I was called and informed about his passing and went to the hospital to be with the family. A viewing was held last night at the funeral home and Heidie and I went. We visited with the family for a while and talked with some of his friends. We were ready to leave when we were told the hospital had misplaced his body after the family had left. I was talking with the funeral director and he told us the story. I shared with him experiences I had as a pastoral ministries student with a funeral home at college. The funeral director had told us a similar story he had encountered. The most shocking thing though happened while we were there learning about what funeral homes do. The director told us he was going to show us a body that was ready for cremation. He opened up the doors and jumped back because he didn't see what he thought he would see. Instead of the body, he saw what we did. We saw the few bone fragments that actually survive the cremation. Once he regained his thoughts, he told us that we would now see how they processed the remains. He took the unexpected situation and was able to use it to teach us through it.

I am sure that you, like myself and everyone else, face uncertain and unexpected things that come along in our journey. These things can have various results in our lives. Some tragedies that happen often destroy some folks because they can't handle them. Others may not completely take someone down but affect their lives in so many ways that they are no longer the same person. Yet still others find that in the midst of these times they become stronger people because of them. They do not allow the circumstances to control their lives or change who they are except for the better. What makes the difference between those who fall apart and those who grow stronger? There is no real secret. The difference is the understanding and knowledge of the people as to who God is. Many people blame God for every tragedy and situation that comes along. They do not know God or realize how much He loves them. God doesn't cause these things but often will let them come so that the person would come to Him. Now those who know God and trust Him, He strengthens them to face those times of heartache and loss. They know that God is faithful and loving and will only allow things in our lives to make us strong in our faith. When the unexpected comes, God is not caught unaware or unprepared. We are the ones not ready but if we follow Him, He will make sure we are ready when things occur. He sees down the road and even around the bend where we can see a short distance ahead. Let God help you with the unexpected times and trials! After all, He knows what He wants you to learn!

We do grieve when we lose a loved one but if they go to be with their heavenly Father, remember that if we are ready when it is our time, we shall see them again more alive and happy than they were while here on this earth!

Definitely not Jonathan Livingston Seagull

Heidie and I enjoyed taking walks on the boardwalk at Ocean City Maryland when we were on vacation. It was nice just walking along especially in the evenings when the sun was going down and the temperatures were cooling off for the night. We watched people as we spent time on the boardwalk. One evening we stopped for some ice cream and sat down to enjoy it. While we ate our ice cream, we had a seagull stop in front of us hoping for something to drop. I took some of my cone and broke it off and threw it to the seagull. He ate it rather quickly and waited to see if I was going to give him some more. It didn't take long for more seagulls to show up. The one that was there first started to try to drive the others away and was so busy doing it he missed out on more cone! He was possessive of what he had. Finally I ate the last of my cone and the seagulls finally started leaving. The last one left as we got up to go and headed back to the hotel.

When we got back to the room, we talked about the birds and how they acted. I started to think that there are so many people I know who act the same as that seagull. They are out to grab whatever they can get and get mad if anyone else tries to get something they wanted. There is a simple name for that affliction. It is called "greed"! I once read an interview with John Rockefeller and he was asked how much was enough. His response was "Just one more dollar". Simply put it just says nothing is ever enough! There are folks that are just out to get what they can and will do what they have to in order to get it. God has called us to be content with what we have. And what is that we have? Everything we have comes from God and He gives us everything we need. We have to make sure we do not get caught up in pursuing what the world offers us but keep our eyes and our desires on Christ. The riches of this world cannot compare to what God has for us in our eternal home with Him. Don't give up your eternal riches which will last for worldly riches that will pass away. Remember that what you have here stays here! You came into the world with nothing and you leave it the same way!

Seagulls are scavengers looking for whatever they can get. They will accept anything thrown their way. Just remember that as a believer you are a son or daughter of the King and you can have the best!

Nothing Like Biker week!

This past week Heidie and I spent a few days at Ocean City Maryland. We took some days off from work to get away and relax. It was a really nice time for us. Things couldn't have been better. The weather was nice the whole time and we had some pretty good food and nice evenings spent walking on the boardwalk. The only thing that caught us unaware was the fact that this was Biker Week at Ocean City. And biker week means a lot of loud motorcycles and a whole lot of bikers! The bikers would cruise up and down Coastal Highway for hours. They started early and didn't stop until late. The bikers were everywhere you looked. The hotels and motels were full of bikers. Some rode their cycles there while others hauled their cycles in on trailers. We went to one place for breakfast so Heidie could get her pancakes. We ended up eating breakfast with a bunch of bikers. We watched them interact with each other. Some looked more like bikers than others but we noticed one thing about them. They seemed to get along with each other and were friendly towards those they hadn't met before.

I thought a lot about those bikers. I proceeded to think about how this world would be if only believers could get along like the bikers did. How many times do we hear about believers from one church not getting along with some from another church? Or worse yet, how many times do see believers within the same church not be able to fellowship with others in their own church? How sad! How can we ever expect the world to follow Jesus if we aren't one in Him? Jesus' prayer for us was that we would be one in Him even as He was one with the Father! He said that through complete unity the world would know Him. I believe that if love for Christ is our motivation for everything we do then we should be showing His love for one another. Forget our petty differences! We can change the world for Christ only when we come to a mature unity in Him. Not just in words but in action! We should ask God to help Jesus' prayer come to realization.

We left to come home today. The night before I asked the clerk on duty at our hotel when the bikers were leaving. I loved his response to the question. He said "Not soon enough"! We are home now and looking forward to a nice quiet night and not hearing any motorcycles! Sometimes it is good to come home!

Like Father Like Son

I was discussing some old TV ads with some friends. We were seeing who could remember what commercials. I recalled some and they told me I was dating myself. I said I had to because no one else would. One commercial; in particular I recalled was an anti-smoking one from years ago. A father was washing the car and his son was attempting to help wash the car. They showed the boy doing everything the father did. At the end of the commercial, the father picked up a pack of cigarettes and lit one up. He set the pack down and his son picked up the pack looking at it. The point of the ad was to make people aware that the son would think about smoking just because his dad did. The problem is that it isn't just smoking that the next generation imitates but many other things as well.

Our church has started a small group program called Discipleship Dare. We talked about becoming disciples and what it means to be a disciple. We have been called to become like Christ and to live a life that reflects Jesus to the world. We are a living epistle to those around us. Our actions speak so much louder than what we say. The world is watching us and see how we respond to circumstances and problems that we go through. We need to reach the world for Jesus Christ and if our light does not shine brightly in the dark world, we will fail in accomplishing the task for which God has called us. We need to draw closer to Him and allow our faith to grow deeper. We are challenged every day to be the disciples He desires us to be. It is an ongoing process and not a once a done event. We are all still sinners but hopefully sinners saved by grace. We will never be perfect until the day we stand in His presence in eternity. But until then lets make every effort to live godly and holy lives that the world will know that we are His!

Rememebring 9-11

On this day nine years ago the world changed quickly and dramatically as did the skyline of New York City. I recall all too well where I was and what I was doing on September 11th of 2001. I had to run to the house for something before I went back to the shop. The radio was reporting a plane accidentally hit the one tower and the tower was on fire. I turned on the tv and a minute later I saw the second plane hit the other tower. I was horrified to see the plane aim right at the building and hit it and then burst into flames. The worst part was knowing one of my friends worked on one of the floors where the first plane hit. I believe God was merciful to him and most of those who were killed when it hit. They didn't suffer as many others would. It didn't take long for things to become apparent to us as to what was happening. When the Pentagon was hit and flight 93 went down, we knew we had been attacked by terrorists who were bent on killing as many as they could. Many people's lives were changed that day. It wasn't only those who died but even more so those loved ones left behind. My friend's wife and kids lost their husband and father. Yes the world has changed and I do not believe it was for the better. Many have died since that day defending our nation in its battle with the terrorists.

I understand why people hate the Muslims. I do not trust them but I know something else that I need to understand. God has called all believers to love the Muslims as well as the rest of the world. I do not believe the mosque should be built near Ground Zero but that does not mean I hate them. I am sure we would not allow a Japanese memorial to be built at Pearl Harbor so why would we allow a mosque is insanity. I know that God has called us to preach the Gospel to all the world and to share His Son with them. We need to understand that our emotions cannot be left to rule us because they will not lead to anything but destruction. We need to follow God's commands and love them as He does. They are lost and dying for a god that does not exist. We serve a mighty God who sent His Son to die for us so we would not perish but have eternal life. Burning the Koran will not stop the Muslims but only the power of the Holy Spirit bringing conviction can. I look forward to the day that Jesus will rule and reign on Earth and there will be peace on Earth. But until that day let us keep on reaching the lost for Jesus Christ!

A Mother's Love?

Some of you may recall Bill Cosby and some of his stories. He talked about violence and mothers and how violent they can be. He said how they would threaten their kids with hitting them into the middle of next week. His response was "please do because I am having a tough time this week". Well today I saw a mother threatening to knock her kid's head off if he didn't stop acting up. She had a hold of him and was staring directly into his eyes. I thought he was going to die from the stare alone. Thankfully he stopped misbehaving because it would not have been very pretty seeing his head come off. Not a sight I want to see. She finally let him go and finished up her business and left. And yes she took the child with her! I was grateful he left in one piece like he came in!

I was glad my mother didn't threaten me like that when I was a kid! I may not have made it through childhood with the way I behaved sometimes. I started thinking about our relationship with God and how we disobey Him sometimes. Well Okay! A lot! I am glad that He doesn't respond to us the way this mother did to her child. He responds to us in grace and mercy instead of anger and wrath like we deserve. He could have chosen to take us out like we deserve but instead chose to send His Son Jesus to pay for our sin and offer us forgiveness in place of justice. He is not prone to emotional outbursts and fits of anger like some. He is loving in all His actions and desires only the best for people. We serve a God who doesn't change with the weather or with the circumstances we face. He loves us with an everlasting love and is more patient with us than the best mother that ever lived. Remember that even David, after committing adultery and murder, was forgiven and called a man after God's own heart. Next time when you are tempted to threaten a child, remember how God treats you when don't act right in His eyes!

Change of Seasons

A couple of days ago I went outside after I had gotten up to see if I had put the cover on the grill because I wasn't sure if I did or not. I opened the door and stepped outside to a surprise. When I exhaled, I saw my breathe. It wasn't real noticeable but I could see it. I realized that it was chilly outside for the first time in quite a while. It began to register that I was getting cold standing there. I checked the grill and I had put on the cover. I decided to go back inside and warm up a little bit. I wasn't cold like you get in the winter but there was definitely a chill in the air. I thought about telling my wife about the temperature but I knew what she would say. "I don't want to see fall come! That means winter is on the way!" Heidie is definitely a summer person where I on the other hand am a spring or fall person. I like winter but it could be cold and snowy for Christmas then go back to spring. Heidie realized it was chilly anyway after hearing the morning forecast so it wasn't a secret too long.

The chill in the air reminded us that summer was drawing to a close and that fall was on the way. And after fall comes winter every year! There is nothing we as humans can do to stop that! Each year is the same. There is a seasonal cycle we go through and it never ends for us until we leave this earth. I firmly believe that the Earth's time is slowly ticking down. Not because of global warming or anything like that but because God has promised to come back to this planet one day and set things right! He will restore the Earth to the way it was intended to be when He created it. All one has to do is to read the headlines or watch tv to see that what the Bible has predicted is coming to pass. Israel is once again a nation and the world hates it. Things are lining up according the prophecies given thousands of years ago. Just as the fall signals the end of the summer( Sorry Hun!), the events of our days are signaling that time is almost over and the end times are here, The only question we need to ask ourselves is whether or not we are ready for Christ's return. I trust that you have made Christ your Lord and Savior and are eagerly awaiting His return. Don't be caught unprepared for the change coming to this planet!

Fighting for a Spot

After getting up one morning, I wen to the kitchen and opened the door to the outside. I wanted to see what the weather was like and check the temperature. I was also hoping to see if any hummingbirds were around at the feeder. I didn't see any but I did see something else going on. The deck was full of sparrows who were sitting all over the railing and everything else including the cross I put up on the deck. What got my attention was the fact that it was the cross that seemed to be where the birds wanted to be able to perch. They were all trying to get a spot on the cross. Some would fly up and push another bird off while others would wait and as soon as a spot would become vacant another bird flew to fill it. Some were more aggressive than others to hold their place on the cross. I watched this go on for several minutes and the whole time God was speaking to me and what it was He wanted me to learn from the birds.

I looked at the cross and realized that the cross means different things to different people today. Some see it as a sign of division and strife while others see it simply as a religious symbol with no relevance for today. Some people wear the cross as piece of jewelry and it has no impact on them. Yet, and thankfully so, there are others who see it and understand its meaning and its importance. The cross was developed as a means of execution by man but God used it a means of sacrifice of the Lamb of God. God planned for that sacrifice before He even created the world. He knew it would cost Him His Son but He went through with creation all the same. It was the cross that Jesus died on that drew men and women to Himself. He said if I be lifted up I will draw all men unto myself. He is still doing that today. When you look at the cross, what do you see and how do you respond? Or do you not give it a second thought? One of my favorite hymns says it best when it comes to the cross. So I'll cherish the old rugged cross till my trophies at last I lay down: I will cling to the old rugged cross and exchange it some day for a crown.

Are you like one of those birds who were trying to get to the cross or trying to stay at the cross when you got there? Even the birds understand the attraction of the cross! I hope you do too!

You Better Stop That!

I was out cooking a couple of steaks on the grill for supper and I happened to catch a conversation between two boys in the neighborhood. The older one was telling the younger boy that he had better stop doing whatever he was doing. He kept telling him repeatedly but it had no effect on the younger brother. Finally the older brother had enough and smacked his brother with the Star War light saber. That got his brother's attention! He grabbed his light saber and went inside. It didn't take long for the older brother to follow him into the house. I know why. He wanted to make sure he got to tell his side of the story. I know that because I did that once while I was a kid. I did something to my brother Doug and he told me to stop but of course I didn't listen and Doug reached the end of his patience and came flying up the steps into the apartment and proceeded to break the bathroom door open where I had taken refuge. He made sure I learned why I should have paid attention to his warnings and not kept up my behavior. I learned that when he tells me to knock something off that was bothering him I had better do it.

I thought about some of the things we do that God does not like, or if I was to be honest, He says He hates. God tells us in His Word that He calls somethings abominations and that He lets us know that we need to stop those things or we will face His wrath and judgment. I don't think I need to list them because most of us know what they are. He lays out what He wants us to do in the 10 commandments. These commands are not just a list of do's and dont's! They are His way of introducing us to His righteous character. He wants us to have a relationship with Him and made that possible by sending His precious Son to pay for our sin and receive God's forgiveness. The problem is that many do not want to accept God or His plan and will face the judgment all sinners will face. They don't have to but by not choosing His forgiveness they reject His love and seal their own fate. God loves everyone and doesn't want anyone to perish. There is nothing so bad that we have done that God can't forgive us! All we need to do is to ask Him!

As for the boys, they seemed to get past the argument and were back outside playing together once again. If we could be like kids and be able to forgive and forget!

King of the Hill

This blog has nothing to do with the cartoon series about the Hill family in Texas. It has to do with the game we played as kids during recess and when you had a bunch of neighborhood kids together and needed to use up a lot of energy. If you never played the game, the object was for those playing to get to the top of whatever the hill was and to stay there by knocking off everyone who tries to take that spot. Sometimes the one who was the king stayed there for a little and sometimes they got knocked off right away because they weren't strong enough. I played that numerous times as a kid. Most of the time was spent trying to get to the top and didn't succeed becoming the king. Any kid who was bigger and stronger then his opponents usually ruled the hill with little effort. The game was just that. A game! It didn't matter if you were the king or a wanna be king. You played to have fun.

Today we are playing "king of the hill" with our lives and society. Slowly we are trying to remove God from every vestige of public life from schools to government. We are as Christians not allowed to influence the government and it's policies. They cry out about separation of church and state as though it is constitutional when in fact it is not. What the founding forefathers were saying is the government has no right to tell the church what it can or cannot do. There are so many groups today who are trying to pull God down. They don't want His rules or His will imposed on them. They have no clue that one day every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord. God is the King of the hill and will never be knocked off! I believe that it is time to take back our nation and allow God His rightful place in our lives and society.

The Cost of Commitment

Most folks have heard the story of the chicken and the pig who found out a church was going to have a breakfast to raise money for the poor. So they discussed what they could do to help the church out. The chicken quickly stepped up and volunteered some eggs for the ham and eggs breakfast. She said I will donate some eggs for the meal. She then asked the pig what she was going to do and told her to commit something. The pig simply looked at the chicken and replied "For you it's a commitment, for me it's total sacrifice". We hear it all the time different groups want us to support their cause. They want our financial and moral backing. There are all kinds of causes we could get behind today. Many of them are good causes and some are lame and nothing more than scams being perpertrated for the purpose of getting money. We need to know what it is we believe in and give a commitment to that cause. Some people today do not allow themselves to be committed to anything or anyone esle but themsleves. Or they let themselves become duped into committing to something that is wrong or goes against everything they do believe in. I think that is a major issue for many today.

There are many who profess to be Christians and go to church on a regular basis. Yet many of these same people are not committed to doing much for Christ when it comes to their faith. They think church attendance is fine. They, like the Pharisees, give out of their abundance while others , like the poor widow, give out of their want. They give only what is required to meet the bare standards. But finances are not the only thing they do not commit to His kingdom. They often fail to commit their talents and abililities for God to use to build His kingdom. Commitment to His kingdom and plans are crucial if we are to see the church rise up and impact the world as He calls us to do. But I beleive that God calls us to higher standard and he just doesn't want commitment, He wants sacrifice! David would not offer sacrifices to God that cost him nothing. Gos is worthy of our best and our all. After all, He gave us His best when He sent Jesus to come and die for our sins. I think Jim Elliot who lost his life along with four others trying to bring the gospel to a tribe of South American indians said it best. "He is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose lose!" I have to ask myself constantly whether I am sacrificing or just commiting to my Lord and Saviour. Simply put, are you the chicken or the pig?

A Simple Bird Feeder

This morning I went outside before we left for church to get the newspaper. I took the paper inside and set it on the floor. I went to the porch door and opened it to get some air moving in the house. Just as I opened the door I saw a hummingbird perched on the hanger we put up from which we have the bird feeder hanging. He was sitting there calm as can be. I called Heidie over so she could see the bird. We watched it for a few seconds then he took off and went down to the flower dispenser on the feeder. He took a couple of long drinks then flew off to the neighbor's tree. I watched for a couple of minutes and saw a bird fly to the feeder. It took a couple of drinks then it too flew off. We got excited about knowing the hummingbirds know that the feeder is here and are now beginning to use it. We would have been disappointed if we went out and bought the feeder only to find out no bird would ever use it. The fact is we are getting the birds to come in because we did the simple thing of buying a feeder, filling it with the solution and hanging it. Not one of those steps are difficult but all were necessary to see the birds start coming to the porch. By doing just simple things, we will now enjoy visits by these wonderful, little creatures.

Just the night before, Pastor Bob, who I worked with at Capital City church as a childrens' pastor, called me and told me a great story. They had a wedding for a young man whose sister was killed in a really tragic and strange accident. Montaya was a wonderful young 9 year old who loved Jesus and wanted to serve Him with all her heart. When she died, we found out her family didn't have money to have her funeral or place to bury her. The church stepped up and helped them with a burial plot and finances to cover the funeral. Her father was there along with some other family members. Her mother was one that was not there for her funeral. Well she was in attendance for the wedding and talked with Pastor Bob afterwards. She told him that because of what the church had done for her daughter, she asked Christ to come into her heart and now is following God. She wants to see her daughter again some day. She said she could never repay the church for what we did. Pastor Bob said she was right but her following Jesus was what God desired, we as the church prayed for and what Montaya had hoped for while she was here. What brought her to Christ? Was it a mighty miracle or some spectacular event? No! It was the people in the church doing what Christ called called them to do. They simply showed love for Montaya and her family. The church was just being the Church that God has called them to be.

What about you? Are you doing the simple things that God can use to touch many other hearts and lives for Him? Why not try to be God's bird feeder and see who you can draw to God?

God is Bigger than Carl

This morning I was watching the local news to get the weather forecast for the day. They were giving an update on a story about a local young lady who had been battling cancer. She was taking chemotherapy and had lost her hair. She was encouraged by cards from people all over the country. She was told that she had several tumors around her liver and the biggest one some of her friends and she called Carl. She was told that the doctors couldn't do any surgeries to help. Carl was too big and too close to key points within her. She never gave up her hope that God would see her through this life crisis. She kept believing that she could overcome the cancer. The doctors came back and reported that the tumors were now able to be removed. She had the surgery and the doctors told her she was now cancer free. Her family had a banner made up for her homecoming. The banner read God is bigger than Carl or something to that effect. She is planning to return to college. The thing that spoke most to me was the fact that she counts the cancer as blessing and not a curse. Talk about a great attitude to have in this life.

Her story made me recall the many things that I went through in my life. I never battled cancer but I faced my own "Carls" that came into my life. I had two choices when I was confronted by them. I could become bitter or become better. The results were dependent on what my attitude was. You see as a young man, mother was healed of MS at a faith healing service so I learned that God is still the one in charge no matter what trials I faced. Jesus struggled in the Garden when He was facing his arrest and execution. He knew what it would cost Him. I t wasn't the violent death He would face but it was the separation form His Father when He took the sin of the world upon Himself. He didn't have to but He chose to remain steadfast and carry out salvation's plan. I could have quit time and time again and give up but I knew my heavenly Father would never let me down. Instead He took those circumstances and used them to mold and form me more into His image. This young lady knew the Father and put her trust in His hands as many have over the years. I think of Corrie Ten Boom and her family and what they went through. Imagine in the midst of that death camp, they found blessings in the fleas!

So how about it? Are you facing a crisis in your life? What is your attitude? Have you thanked God for it or gotten angry because of it? Remember that God has promised to "work all things together for our good"!

A Hidden Talent

My wife Heidie talked about being able to make some jewelry a couple years ago so that year I went to a bead shop in our town and got her some things for Christmas. I purchased a book on how to make things like bracelets and necklaces and gave some introductory information on how to make basic items. I also gave her a tool set and a board used to lay out the beads and make sure of the length of each article. I didn't stop there though I even got her a class for her to learn the basics from some professionals. I wrapped them up and gave them to her. She loved the gifts and has been slowly getting even better and has learned to do ear rings as well. She has made several pieces for herself as well as others. She made a Star of David necklace for our tour guide Ayelet in Israel. She has made some beautiful necklaces for a couple of others as well. She has given some as gifts and sold a couple as well. She tells me she is not creative but I say she is and I encourage her to design some things to sell. I have even accompanied her to some bead shows to help her. She can see a piece that she likes and can get the beads and make it herself. I believe my wife is talented and could make really nice jewelry if she wanted. She just needs to make some time to be able to set some time aside to do it. But that is the problem and not just for her but all of us.

I have thought about all the times I have wanted to do something but never do. I began to ask myself why that is. I came to a conclusion it is for a couple of reasons. The first is because of fear. Sometimes I don't attempt them because I don't want to fail or do something mediocre. Of course we wouldn't have light bulbs if Edison would have let fear of failure rule him. Secondly, we sometimes won't do something because of what others might think. Walt Disney was fired from a newspaper because he lacked imagination. Then there is the lack of time that most of us deal with on daily basis. I beleive that many people are indeed busy and have a lot to do in their daily lives. The question we need to ask is "What I am doing, is it important or is there something else I should or could be doing that would be more productive for me?" When we let trivial things rule our time, we lose time we could be using to pursuing His kingdom and touching our world for Christ. Is what drives us eternal or temporal? If something is important to us, we make the time to do it and we don't let anything hinder us. God admonishes us to redeem the time and that is exactly what we should do.

Now if I could jst get the time to sit down at the computer at home and get my book written. I mean it has only been in my brain for ten years or so. Oh well, I can do it tommorrow!

What Pretty Flowers!

One thing that my wife and I like to do each year is to get flowers to plant around the house. We have a flower bed along each side of the sidewalk that leads up to the house and additional beds by the deck and then the at the other end of the house. We get different kinds and assorted colors of flowers each year. We love variety because it adds so much color to the yard. We plant some perennials and some annuals like marigolds and pansies. This year we got a couple of different flowers which I have no clue what their names are but they are pretty and are doing quite well. My one neighbor planted some flowers this year and his are doing as well as mine are in the front. I have gotten a lot of comments on how nice the flowers look from from people in the neighborhood. I always say thank you to them but I don't go into how much work goes into to making them look so pretty. I have to constantly weed the beds and keep the grass from encroaching into the beds. Then when it is hot and we don't get any rain, I have to water them on a regular basis to keep them healthy. We also give them plenty of fertilizer from the time they are planted till the end of the season. Miracle Gro is the secret! We enjoy the flowers but they do take work to keep them growing and staying vibrant. We have another neighbor whose flowers aren't doing as well. Theirs are small and struggle to keep their flowers. After talking with them. I realized they don't spend as much time on the flowers as I do.

I thought about how our flowers are doing better than theirs. They have some of the same flowers we have but the difference is the work that goes into keeping them healthy. In order to make them grow, we need to feed them, give them plenty of water and keep the weeds clear so they don't rob the flowers of nutrients. When you do these things the flowers grow and add to the yard decor. But when you don't do these things, the flowers do not do too well. Our lives are no different than the flowers. We need to do certain things to keep ourselves healthy. Physically we need to eat right, exercise, get proper rest and have regular checkups. Spiritually we we have to do some things to maintain our spiritual health as well. We need to keep our selves pure (keep the weeds out), keep ourselves in the Word ( fertilize our heart's soil), allow the Spirit to keep us anointed (water our spirit with the Living Water) and allow God to examine our hearts constantly ( have regular checkups). If we neglect any one of these, we allow our growth to be halted. We may not notice the symptoms of neglect right away but it will become apparent, if not to us, then to others. So make every effort to keep yourself growing and blooming in God! Make a difference in your world and add some color!

Now if I could only keep the rabbits out of the flowers! Can you guess who the rabbits represent? That is a whole lesson in itself!

Today Heidie and I were at home and had the doors open since it was nice outside with a cool breeze blowing. The temperature was just about 72 degrees at the time so we thought we would enjoy the fresh air. This year we bought and planted a couple of butterfly bushes out front by our small stoop. While I was sitting in the chair that looks out toward the front of the house, I noticed a big beautiful butterfly going from one of the bushes to the other. He was yellow and black and was the biggest butterfly we had seen so far. I called out to Heidie to check it out. She came to the door and we watched it flit back and forth between the bushes. After a couple of minutes the butterfly took off and headed away. We talked about how we would love to see more of them come and fly around our flowers. We recalled how we saw quite a few at the house where we were going for small groups on Sunday night. The other thing we had seen was some hummingbirds coming up to the porch at there house and enjoying the feeder. There were a couple of them that kept flying back and forth checking to see if we were still there. We decided to finish the group inside to allow them to feed. They eventually got to feed. We thought it would be great to be able to see some at house. Of course we knew it would probably wouldn't happen because of where we live. But we had no sooner gotten out of the house as we were leaving to go shopping when we saw it. Just as we sat in the car we looked up and there was a little hummingbird flying around one of the flowering bushes we had planted. He was looking around for a bloom to check out then left as quickly as he showed up. We got excited and knew we had to get a hummingbird feeder for the deck. Well as I write this, there is a feeder hanging from the deck full of the nectar they love. Our hope is now we will start to see them coming a around on a regular basis and adding to our enjoyment of nature that God has given us.

I do not believe that it was just a chance that the hummingbird showed up when he did. I know that God had a lesson for me to learn. I thought about it and began to see a great truth revealed to me through the Holy Spirit. Just as we realized that in order to try to get the hummingbird to come around by putting up a feeder,we need to do things that will attract people to us so that we might be able to share the good news with them. There has to be something that they see or know that makes them to become open to the gospel. We have to understand what it is that will draw them and begin to use that knowledge to see their lives change. I can't put up a feeder with vinegar in it if I want the hummingbirds. We need to be living for Christ and reflecting His love for people if we are to be the witnesses He has called us to be. The Church (I am referring to the body of Christ not a particular denomination) has to offer folks what they need not just what we think they need. So lets be careful of how we live, act and talk! You may never know who is watching and listening besides God!

Success defined

Recently I was talking with a young lady that I had a as a kid in my children's church a few years back. She saw my wife and I coming out of Walmart and came running up to us. She was smiling and excited to see us. She gave each of us a hug and started to talk with us and began to tell us how her and her family were doing. She told us her little brother was now about 6'3" and towered above her and her mom. She went on to tell us somethings she was doing. She shared the fact that she was just talking about us to some folks and wondered how we were doing. We spent a little bit of time talking and remembering some of the great time we had at kid's church while she was growing up ( and I was growing up along with the kids) along with her brother. We talked about some of the other kids and how they were doing. I love to recall the names and faces kids that i ministered to over the years. It brings back a lot of great memories for Heidie and I. But our conversation make me start thinking about another aspect of my life and Heidie's as well.

We seem to have discussions about where we are and what we have accomplished in life. We look at ourselves and judge ourselves as not accomplishing very much. I often feel that way when I look at others and what they have done. I haven't done anything most people would see as worthy to be called successful. But as we talked with our friend, I began to realize something. I have done childrens ministry for 25 years and in that time I estimated I have touched and influenced over 300 kids. Now some of those same kids are now in ministry or going into the minitry and some are even married. When I talk with them, they share the fact that I ministered to them the love of God and that helped them to live their lives for Him and commit to the call God placed on their lives. God gently lets me know that the world may never know my name or face but the kids whose lives we have touched do and that makes me successful in His eyes. To be thought of as successful in God's eyes is more important and eternal than any accolade that man could ever give me. I need to remember that this world is temporary but His rewards are eternal and will never fade.

So if you are doing what God has called you to do for Him and it seems that no one thinks you matter, just remember that God knows you initimately and is only wanting for the day you stand before Him to say "Well done good and faithful servant"!

Living in Carlisle Pennsylvania means there are certain things that you must deal with on a regular basis. But I suppose that most places have the same issues only in greater or lesser degrees. Now if you are a car buff and know anything about car shows then you are probably familiar with the name of Carlisle. We have car shows of every sort here between April and October that occur every two weeks. They start coming in around Wednesday and stick around till Sunday. These car shows bring in people from all over the country. Some are more attended than others but they all bring one thing with them. More traffic! And when you have more traffic, you have a rise in the number of drivers who are rude and some that are downright ignorant which can lead to a lot of problems for some. These drivers cut others off, run lights or even fail to stop at stop signs because they are in a hurry. Needless to say sometimes tempers can flare rather easliy. I know all to well what happens when a driver behaves in any of the aformentioned behaviours. I was trying to get across town during one show weekend and a driver from out of state cut me off and almost caused me to wreck. I was not too happy about it and I started to get upset. Suffice to say my thought life at that moment was not very Christlike.

I began to feel gulity about how I was feeling and what I would love to see happen to that driver. Once again the Holy Spirit was there convicting me for those thoughts I was having. He began instead to remind me that Christ died for that driver and not just for me or only the considerate folks. He reminded me that God loves each and every person the same. I was looking at these folks as a nusaince that come to Carlisle a couple of times a year. The Spirit gently wanted me to know that instead of looking at them as a nusiance I needed to see them as an opportunity to minister to them and to pray for them. He asked me how could I reach these folks for Christ and touch them with the love of God. Many times we have opportunities to reach people for Christ but we blow it and fail to take the opportunities when they are there. I realized that I needed to change my thinking and see them from God's perspective. I need to start welcoming the people and plan ways to share God's love with them.

God also reminded me that there have been times when I was not the most considerate driver myself so I need to be careful when I want to throw stones. Instead of getting mad, I need to pray!

Living with scars

If you are like many people, you probably have a scar or two on your body for various reasons. If you are like me, you may have them as a result of a surgery or due to some injury or accident. I have scars from both surgeries and from accidents. if you are old enough, you may remember the old kid's song called "Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes". I sang that song many times as a kid and even as an adult I have sung it. I have discovered an amazing fact about that song in regards to my life. I realized that I have a scar that covers the whole gambit of the song. I have scars on my head from a blueberry muffin in high school, a surgery to remove a tumor from my jaw and a scar from where I crashed my brother's new stingray bike. My right shoulder had to have surgery to repair a torn rotator cuff. I had knee surgery on my right knee to remove a bone chip while I was in high school. I even had surgery on my feet to remove planter warts as well as surgery to fix my ingrown toenails. They removed them and took out some roots and replaced the toenails. But just to make sure I was completely covered, I had surgery on my back in 2003 to remove and fuse two discs. The funny thing is the scar is on my stomach. So I can truly say I am well covered in regards to the song. I am sure that each person with a scar has a story behind them as I have with mine.
The thing about scars is that not all scars can be seen by other people. And I am not talking about them being hidden by clothes. There are many that have emotional scars that they cannot or will not show. Those are the worse kinds of scars that people carry. They hope that by hiding their scars they will be able to lead a normal life. But until that scar can heal they will struggle with their emotions and relationships. Imagine you are one of the lepers that Jesus healed. You go around crying 'Unclean! Unclean!" because you need to warn people you are coming so you don't touch anyone. Just think of the emotional pain that causes when you can't touch or be touched by anyone but another leper. Jesus did what no one else could! He touched the leper and healed not only the leprosy but healed the inner person simply because He touched them. Talk about the touch of the Master's hand! Their leprosy was gone along with the emotional and physical detachment from other people. What scars do you carry that no one sees but you? Remember we serve a God who is the same today as He was back then. Ask him for a touch of the Master's hand and let Him take those scars!

Have you ever gone wading and had a stone get in your shoe? Or gone hiking and got a stone in your hiking boot? I had that experience while fishing in the Susquehanna river here in Pennsylvania while going out for bass. That becomes the norm when you don't have a boat and you get use to it. I was out wading early one day and wasn't out in the water very long before I got a stone in my boot. Instead of sitting down on a rock and getting the stone out, I kept moving my foot around to try to get the stone in a place that didn't bother me when I walked. But as most of us know, that doesn't work for very long especially when you get more stones in the boot. Finally I gave up and sat down and took off the boots and removed the stones. They weren't big at all but just small ones. The little ones were the worst because they could get in any place. Once I had them out and my boots back on, I got back to fishing. I said fishing because I wasn't catching anything that day.
As I was going along trying the different spots I thought might hold some fish, I felt the Holy Spirit talking to me about the stones. I began to realize that most people deal with sin in their lives much the same way. They try to ignore the "stone" or sin and try to lessen its impact but never do what they should do about it. The right thing to do is to get it out of their life by asking God to forgive them and accepting His forgiveness. The Holy Spirit is the one who draws our attention to the sin so that He can help us to deal with it the right way. He doesn't make us aware of the sin so we can figure a way to make it more bearable in our lives. No! He wants to get rid of it just the like the stones in my wading boots. So when you are confronted with a sin in your life, don't letit stick around but take a seat on the rock of God's grace and let Him get rid of that "stone".