Christmas is Not Over

Did you know that there are twelve days of Christmas?

I love singing the song, The Twelve Days of Christmas. Recently at the Hammond Kiwanis, we not only sang the song but acted out the parts. It was quite entertaining. There were ladies dancing, maids a milking, and lords a leaping. You get the picture. It was quite a festive occasion. You see Christmas does not end as quickly as some believe.

At the Christmas Eve service at my church Monday night, I was paid the highest compliment as a preacher. One of my elementary aged little boys ran up to me after the service smiling. He said, "Dr. Jack that was a great service! Let's do it again!!!"

There are Scrooges that try to minimize the Christmas season and the Christmas Spirit. They want to just pick up the paper and then get back to life. Scrooges are all too quick to remind us that the work of the world waits for us. Then there are some of us still playing. I think that the northern part of the country benefits from "snow days" when you just have to continue to stay at home.

I often wonder about the shepherds after they left the manger seeing the baby Jesus. The scriptures tell us that they were praising God. But what about the day after? Things always look different the day after.

Do you think the shepherds just went back to the fields and went about their business? Do you think that perhaps one of them might have seen that God was inviting them to a new life? Or perhaps they remained a shepherd but gained the shepherd's heart like David—one that sought the Lord. Do you think that maybe one of them might have tried to keep up with the baby, Jesus and their family? Maybe they made an annual journey to where Jesus lived just to see how he was grown. Do you think that maybe, just maybe one of the shepherds was in the crowd when Jesus entered Jerusalem on a donkey? Do you believe that one of them could have heard the excitement of Jesus' disciples telling about the resurrection of the Lord?

The Bible just does not tell us. But it invites us to wonder. If you read the life of Jesus, you will find that there are many uncompleted stories about people that Jesus cured or Jesus met. Time and time again we simply do not know.

I believe that the great events or holy spaces in life do not simply come and go. They linger. The meaning and significance are too great to be a fleeting moment. Christmas, IF Jesus is born in your life again, does not simply after the presents are opened, trash cleared out, and the tree taken down. The Christmas of the faith is just a beginning.

May the birth of Jesus stir you into a living relationship with Jesus! Christmas is just beginning! …and a partridge in a pear tree…

Pray for me as I pray for you.

 

God Does Not Leave The Building!

Sometimes life does not make sense.
Sometimes life sucks.
Not something you would expect to hear from a preacher type. At this time, you will just have to get over it. Tragedy and sadness cannot be expressed in terms lightly.
Let me share what I feel are one important theological misconception made in times like this. Not everything that happens in life is God's will. God did not will this to happen. God is not punishing anyone by this event. If this is your picture of how God works in life, I would suggest you break the frame and start all over.
There is a good and bad part of God's gift we call free will. Free will at its best is when creation yearns for goodness and beauty. Free will at its best is when a person stops to help a stranger in need. Free will at its best is when love wins. Free will at its best is when one sacrifices "MY rights and privileges" for greater good. Free will at its best is when the world makes a conscious decision to care for those who cannot care for themselves. Free will at its best lays down one's life for the sake of others.
Free will at its worst is the world's worst nightmare. It is a darkness that is void of conscious or meaning. It is a world of selfishness. It is when creation chooses to participate in behavior that destroys life. The consequences of this are more destructive than one can ever imagine.
God does not leave the building when tragedy occurs. In fact, I believe that God tries in every way to magnify God's presence. God is shouting for those who can make a difference. God is weeping. God is lifting. God knows what it is like to see senseless suffering and death. If you do not believe this, simply look at the cross one more time. I believe that God absorbs the pain of the innocent.
So what good can come from tragedy?
Our world can become a bigger world. The pain of the world becomes my pain and suffering. I no longer insulate myself from the senseless sufferings of children and families whom I will never meet. The world is God's world. If I want to be a part of God's world, I also must see God's world.
We can break through the isolation that occurs to families in crisis. When families go through crisis, the human tendency is to isolate. Families struggling with mental illness or depression do not know where to turn. Families in crisis try to appear normal in every sense while their world falls apart. We can open ourselves to our neighbors, coworkers, and friends in their struggle. We connect ourselves to helping them find whatever resources are available. We pray for them and with them. We remind them they are not alone.
We can begin a needed shift in our culture. We need to learn how to cope with our problems in a nonviolent manner. This is a learned skill. We teach our children that violence only brings more violence. We need wisdom in our culture as to the best way to manage the resources of life for goodness. We need to create the mantra that we will do whatever it takes to change our world so that THE CHILDREN WIN! The win for the sake of the children of our world trumps every other privilege we might claim. We will do whatever it takes for the children of the world to win!
I invite you to join me in choosing one of the persons whose life was cut short. Pick one. Put their name on a small sheet of paper that you will carry with you. Mine is on the backside of my cell phone—Dylan Hockley (6). From now through the Twelve Days of Christmas (Epiphany, January 6), I will pray each day. I will give thanks for Dylan's life. I will pray for his family and friends.
God has not left the building. The sufferings of this world are not borne alone. In fact, this season of the year assures us that God is present. God will be present. Come Jesus! Be born again and again! Even when life does not make sense.

Good Friends Never Leave

The death of good friends is a tough time. It brings to mind all that you have done and also all the things you wished you would have done.  During the season of Christmas, it is good to remember good friends and family members that you will miss.  This year I have had two of my good friends pass away.  Though they are not present, they are not gone.
My friend, Robert, called me twice about joining him in a Holy Land tour. He thought it was a great way to share our friendship in faith. You see we had journeyed together for quite a while. Our daughters played together when they were young.
I met Robert as he was grieving from the fall of his first marriage. He was a romantic at heart. Romantics usually are not very good in relationships though. The romance gets in the way.
He came to be a part of the Singles group at the church I was serving. The group was just starting. One of the pieces of advice I give to persons ending a marriage relationship is to date as many different people as you can as you recover. It will teach you much about yourself. Go out with people that you never would have dreamed going out with. Ask people out who you would never have had the courage to ask before. Robert took it as a challenge. We laughed about this. You see, Robert asked every woman who came to the singles group out on a date. And admittedly, he learned much. Robert loved to learn, even through the difficult times.
So the romantic fell in love—twice. He fell in love with God first and another woman second. I performed his second marriage service. His second marriage failed but his new first love did not.
His love affair with God led him to Cursillo—a retreat that changed his life. Robert invited so many folks to be a part of that experience. He helped create a New Orleans group of people whose lives have been changed. He fell in love with teaching youth. Robert became a part of a youth movement called The Happening. Through the Happening, God has given more joy to youth than you can imagine. This love affair with God opened Robert's live to teaching the Bible. For years, he led youth Bible studies searching for the "AHA!" moment of God illumination and inspiration.
So Robert took a group of Christian disciples to the Holy Land—and died leading people closer to Jesus.
When I learned of Robert's death, I was making plans. The message had gone out that there would be a need to have persons who might travel to the Holy Land to care for him if he recovered. I had figured out that I could leave Christmas day and my schedule would allow me to be with Robert until January 4^th. So I called to put my name on the calendar and was met with the news that it would not be necessary.
As we celebrated Robert's life, I laughed and then I cried. I cried some more and then I laughed. It is the cycle of grief that we all have in some way or another. As I celebrate this season of Christ coming to the world, I remember the sound of Robert's motorcycle coming towards the house for a visit. Then I remember watching him ride away.
Good friends do that—they come and go. But they are never gone.
Pray for me as I pray for you!

Give Gifts That Always Fit

So what is the worst Christmas gift you have ever given? Some of you will balk at such a question. Some of us know immediately the gift that was just not what it should have been or was meant to be.

I think there is a game that some workers play in the retail stores. It is when the worker knowingly helps a customer (usually of the male species) buy something that is really gonna make him/her look stupid. Or maybe the information they were given was not clear. Maybe it was just a mistake—an honest mistake.

One Christmas I go into the women's clothing store. I describe my petite wife to the clerk and even point out a woman that is almost the same size as my lovely wife. "I am looking for a coat to fit that size person." It seemed like a pretty good description to me. So she shows me a coat that looks really nice. I like it so I ask her to give me the correct size. Unfortunately for me, I did not ask the person the same size of my wife to try it on. I took the coat given to me, wrapped it and thought I was safe. Wrong!

Christmas Day my wife opens her package and loves the coat---for a while. The coat was large enough that BOTH of us could have gotten into it. Now for some strange reason, unknown to me to this day, you can give a woman something that is too small and still be loved. However if you go the other way you lose body parts! I STILL hear of this gift on a regular basis.

So what are some gifts we can give that always fit?

Here's a list for you: cards that are filled with goodies( i.e. good for one backrub, a night out, or "let me clean the kitchen!"), playing checkers at the local nursing home for an hour or so, an evening of babysitting for a young couple, a car wash for someone who is handicapped or elderly, cupcakes for neighborhood children, a vacuum the house or mow the lawn card, a gift card for a restaurant or show, or let me teach you how to use your computer, etc. The list goes on.

These gifts are not going to have to be returned. These gifts are gifts of the heart and soul. These gifts are timeless. These gifts are gifts about relationships.

The Christian faith teaches us during this holiday time that God does not want stuff—God wants relationships. God invites us to experience the relationship of love that God began with the birth of Jesus. Emmanuel means "God with us". Give gifts of presence to those you love. They always fit!

Pray for me as I pray for you.

God Speaks To All

I have written a short story, While Keeping Watch, that I am using for the season before Christmas we call Advent.  (Free download at www.thewellumc.com)  The premise of the story is that the shepherds watching the flocks is a family—a man, woman, and child. The scriptures do not tell us anything about the shepherds other than they were watching their flocks, heard angels, and then found the child. When they left the child, they praised God. That is it.

Scholars make the assumption that the inclusion of the shepherds fits the Gospel of Luke's emphasis on the poor. The shepherds of the time were mostly poor. Most of them did not own the sheep they watched. They were hirelings. No proud parent of the day would say, "When my daughter grows up, I want her to marry a shepherd!" Amazing how Jesus' teachings contrast with even the beginning of his life. He talks of the shepherd that is not a hireling but will lay down his life. The outcasts are the ones that God speaks to first!  How Jesus loved to show how different the God perspective of life is!

God begins with the ordinary folks that have no religious baggage and speaks.  God sends the heavenly messenger with the heavenly choir to speak to the shepherds in their ordinary place. How that contradicts how many would assume how and where God would speak. Surely God would choose the extraordinary person with many gifts and graces. God would pick an extraordinary place to give the eternal message of all time. No. God speaks to all—not just those who have the extraordinary.

I often wonder if others heard the messenger angel and heavenly chorus that night and shrugged it off. Maybe a traveler to Bethlehem heard them but was late for the reservation for the inn. Did another shepherd hear the voice and songs but went back to sleep? Perhaps the rabbi was awakened by the noise but discounted it because it did not fit the mold of prophecy.  Or did an ordinary person hear it and disqualify the possibility that God speaks to all?  How many times does God speak in our world but we are too busy to hear much less to follow?

The shepherd's life was a difficult one. It was a life that was filled with much discontent and discord. But God spoke. 

God speaks to all—what is God saying to you? 

Pray for me as I pray for you.

Join the Conspiracy of Love and Mercy.

I have just finished reading the books, Killing Lincoln and Killing Kennedy. They are recent publications regarding the assassination of two Presidents of the United States. I would recommend for your reading. I never knew there were so many conspirators or possible conspirators.

There is a conspiracy at work now. Did you know that?

There are weekly sometimes even daily meetings being held. The conspiracy is to overthrow this world. The conspiracy is radical. It calls people to do radical things, even to follow a radical leader. To join this conspiracy will cost you your life. You are going to have to give your time, money, and everything to join it. There are some who believe in this conspiracy while others deny its existence and its power. The denial does not change the minds of those who are in the conspiracy though.

It is the conspiracy of grace and love as known through Jesus Christ.

I have often wondered what would happen if this conspiracy were more active. What would it be like if a group of people who really cared about a person would conspire to show them the love and grace of Jesus Christ? What would happen if a person became overwhelmed by the expression of love and grace by the world around them? What would happen to this world if Christian conspired to change this world, not with harsh antics or words but with love and grace? Now there are some within the conspiracy who want to take the zealot approach as Peter did. But in that moment when Peter began his zealous reaction, Jesus called Peter Satan! Now there are not many places where Jesus calls people Satan in the Bible so maybe that ought to be a warning.

Join the conspiracy of Jesus Christ. It is a conspiracy to love and extend mercy to the world that is sometimes so lost. It is a conspiracy to find the one who is lost, the coin that is lost, and welcome home the prodigal who comes homes having lost everything he was given. It is a conspiracy that requires us to be only what God could make us instead of what we make ourselves.

And when I die within this conspiracy, I shall live—forever!

Keep Your Eyes on Jesus!

Human beings are fragile. We do not like to admit it but we are. Our insecurity seeks to find security in knowing that we are like others. We want others to think like we think. We want others to believe the same things we believe. When we discover our differences, we can become frightened or even angry. But there is another alternative.

Keep your eyes on Jesus.

The disciples are in the boat and a storm arises. They are afraid. Probably some of them began looking for someone to blame. "Who's idea was it to take this stupid boat? " You know the routine.

Then they look out and see Jesus. Jesus is walking on the water! The waves do not frighten him at all. In fact, he speaks to the waves and they cease. So Rocky (Peter) decides he wants to be like Jesus. He wants to walk on water. Jesus invites him out. Can you imagine Peter stepping out of that boat? I would guess that he was holding on to something or someone just to make sure he was not going down. Sure enough, Rocky walks on water until…..

He begins to sink. Why? Because he takes his eyes off of Jesus! To walk on water, one has to keep focus on Jesus! Nothing can distract you. Nothing can get your attention. To do the great things in faith, keep your eyes on Jesus!

The unity of the church is not made because everyone thinks the same way. In fact, the church is at its best when diverse people and voices are present! The best music is not when everyone sings melody. It is found when the harmonies are present. The unity of the church is known through Jesus. Jesus brings us together. Jesus unites us into the kingdom of God!

For some this is a frightening thought because you have to put up all "those" brothers and sisters who are different. You mean God loves "them" too? Yes! "Those" people are a part of the family.

So during the days of change and angst, keep your eyes on Jesus. When you are walking on water (doing what you never thought possible!) keep your eyes on Jesus. And for goodness sake, when Jesus says get out of the boat---GET OUT!

Pray for me as I pray for you!

Let The Children Come

The wedding was wonderful.  So many things happen during weddings.  Remembering is a part of the gift of the event.

Weddings can bring forth grief.  You remember those who are not there in person but whose spirit is so present.

Growing up, my sisters, brother, and I sang.  I tell people that to get breakfast at my house growing up, you had to sing a gospel song!  I accuse my mom and dad of having four kids because there are four parts in music.  We sang everywhere my parents could get us to sing—nursing homes, church, talent shows, church, community gatherings, church—you get the picture.  We only sang gospel or country.  King of the road was the limits of our wild songs—it mentioned cigarette!   We also had to practice.  Oh, did we practice!  You cannot imagine how many spankings I got because I was not practicing correctly.  We had to stand together and sing even when we practice.  My mom would call my dad in to be the enforcer.  My parents believe that you practice like you play!   As I reflect upon those years now, I realize what a gift it was and still is!   

A part of our family tradition of singing was also at weddings.  The quartet sang “Surely The Presence” at all the family weddings.  Even after my sister Karen died, the trio sang this song.  At my daughter’s wedding, the song was sung as a solo.  As the song began, I was suddenly aware that I was alone.  My sisters were not there.  My brother was away on a mission in Cambodia.  I was hearing this song for the first time without any of them present.  I began to weep.    The grief was like a high tide of the ocean coming over the beaches of my soul.

 

Then the gift came.

My granddaughter, Caroline, is two years old.  She is the only grandkid that adores me.  The others put up with me.  When she arrives at our home, Caroline immediately looks for her “Papa J” first.  She loves to crawl up into my lap.  We read and sing.  We talk to one another.  We take naps together. So Caroline is a flower girl in the wedding.  She thinks she is a princess!  And she is!

She saw Papa crying and did what she knew to do.  She left the wedding party and crawled up into my lap as the song continued.  At one point during the song, she felt I was being too loud so she “sh’d” me to be quiet.  As my soul began to rest, she smiled at me with those eyes of wonder.  Seeing that I was okay, she returned to her place at the front.

It was a gift.  I think Caroline was giving me a gift that is from God.  She was present with me in my sorrow, but pointing me to the precious now—the precious present!  Grief and sorrow wants to capture our present and throw us backward.  It makes us long for days ago.  There is nothing wrong with remembering.  However, the promise of God is to not let this burden us from living today!  Oh how tragic it would have been for me to miss the rest of the wedding celebration!  But I did need to remember but for a short while.

The whole experience has given me a new understanding of Jesus’ words,  “Let the children come to me!”  Caroline came to be with her Papa!  Thank you Caroline!

Pray for me as I pray for you!

I Am Still Running!

So I am doing my morning run. Okay, it is not a run, it is a trot. No, to be completely honest it is a fast walk that turns into a slow walk quickly.
Anyway…..I am out trying to exercise. And then it happens. I am sure this never happens to you. But it startled me completely. A bug flew up my nose. Egad! Ugh!
Why would a bug do such a thing? Is there a dare in the bug book of dares that would challenge the creatures to fly up the nose of some slow moving object? Is there an Evil Knievel bug out there? Does a bug reach a point of despair that says "I will end it all by flying up the nose of a preacher exercising!?" Was the bug just wandering around and I ran into it?
Immediately I begin snorting like a pig trying to evacuate the bug from the nostrils. I am sure that there were people watching me and wondering what in the world is the man doing? I soon realize that snorting like a pig does not remove bug particles from the nose. My next move is to blow as hard as I can out of the nostrils as there is now a subtle taste of bug entering my senses. There are times when the senses need to go awol. However it doesn't seem to work that way. The final response to the presence of bug in my innards is a small fit of anger. I am not sure who my anger should be pointed towards, but it does not stop the emotion. As I am emoting, I suddenly realize that I have now stepped off the roadside into the dirt into a bed of ants. So now I am blowing out and dancing swatting ants from my shoes. Do you think there is a pact between bugs and ants to attack common enemies at any opportunity that presents itself? I notice a kid in a car that is passing who is laughing. I call it adult entertainment.
Life is like this. We find ourselves in places we never dreamed of being. What starts out as an intention for health and purpose soon becomes a drama of reaction and emotion. Sometimes the world just drives by and laughs.
It is hard to share these stories as they happen. However as times passes, our perspective is better. We are better. We understand these moments in life do not define us. We realize that we will live. We are not defeated. We just have to endure sometimes.
A passage that gives me great comfort during the difficult times of life comes from one of the small books of the Old Testament. The prophet, Habakkuh reminds me, "Though the cherry trees don't blossom and the strawberries don't ripen, Though the apples are worm-eaten and the wheat field stunted, Though the sheep pens are sheepless and the cattle barns are empty, I 'm singing joyful praises to God. I'm turning cartwheels of joy to my Savior God. Counting on God's rule to prevail, I take heart and gain strength. I run like a deer. I feel like I'm king of the mountain!"
Okay, I still run like a slow old deer. But hey, I'm running!
Pray for me as I pray for you.

Jesus Invites Us to a Different View

Our world creates images of winners and losers. Is this a place where the faith invites us to be different? Is this a place where Jesus offers an alternative view of life?

Losers. At some point in life, we have all held the letter "L" over the forehead with our hands. Some of us have even mumbled (hopefully under our breath) "Loser!" Some define losers as those without a job or can't keep a job or someone who has been married more than once. Others would say that a loser is a person always needing help. Everyone knows losers in sports as the score is always visible. There are no meaner people in the world as the fans of the team who is losing. Losing, in our world, sucks.

Winners! Everyone wants to be near a winner. Winners have more friends than foes. If you win, you get more! Winning places you in a special section of world politics and media. Winners are on the front cover of the paper and magazines. Winners, even if by luck, are defined as success.

Then Jesus says something like this to his followers, "those who want to win their life must lose their life." You can almost hear the gasp of Peter as he says this. Peter, Jesus' spin doctor, rushes to Jesus and tells him this is not what he wants to say to attract people to the movement.

Jesus gives us a definition of life that is counter intuitive. To win you must lose. To gain you must give away. Suffering gives wellness. Sacrifice is gain. To really live is to die. Love your enemies. Bless those who persecute you. Turn the other cheek. Forgive seventy times seventy.

From this view of life, people are seen through a different lens. The winners in this view are those who work for justice and feed the poor. The winners are those who live a humble life of service to the larger world—the kingdom of God. Winning is even defined by the cross—a sacrificial love—that will do whatever it takes to allow all of the world to know God's love.

Be careful what your first response is to the losers as the world defines them, you may lose more than you realize. Define winning or success as Jesus would.

Pray for me as I pray for you

 

Join a Hunt!

Hunting season is here again!

I have to admit that there is definitely an art to hunting. I am amazed at the preparation some will do to get ready for the hunt. Months before the season, the hunting area is scoped out. Some even take pictures of animals that are in the area. It is an art of keen observation and placement. Once the observation is noted, placement is the key. The hunter has to be in the right place at the right time with the right weapon. Any mistake in any of these areas could lead to a miss.

Now let me be clear. I am making a distinction between hunters and animal trainers. Yes, you hear this every year. But there is a breed of animal trainers that are presenting themselves as hunters. Animal trainers have actually trained the animal to come to the place where they will be shot. There is different sort of preparation for animal trainers. Animal trainers have television (with cable), refrigerators, and heaters in their deer stands. If this sounds "snooty", it is. If you are an animal trainer that is offended, try becoming a hunter.

So, back to hunters---now that you have the distinction.

Hunters are about fair practice for both the hunter and the deer. The deer has the edge in terms of instinct and smell. However, the hunter has the advantage of knowledge, weapons, and skill. The hunter is engaged in the world of the deer for a specific purpose. A good hunter has trained their body to not breathe, snort, sneeze, burp, or even pass gas when the shot is near.

I wonder what the faith would look like if Christians would become serious about engagement with the world for a specific purpose.

Many Christians become like animal trainers. These folks are looking for the latest gimmick or catch to bring in those heathens. Usually such tactics produce a negative view of the faith and of the church. It is obvious what is going on. They are looking for "stars in their crowns". For you who do not know what that is, it is kind of like a deer on the wall—like many deer on one wall.

Serious engagement with the world for a specific purpose is quite different. This approach wants to be in relationship with people. This approach invites listening and story telling. This emphasis has the purpose of bringing friends to Christ and to the church, not just people. The journey is a common journey we take together.

Now admittedly I do not want to take the hunting analogy too far. The faith is not about preying. But interestingly enough, it is about praying. Prayer is the manner in which God invites you into a serious engagement with the world for a specific purpose. Listening for such prayers leads us into relationships that are fruitful.

During this hunting season, maybe the invitation that God gives us is to join a hunt! The Gospel of John reminds us that Jesus came into the world, not to condemn but that the world might be saved!

God is at work

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

All of us have driven through construction zones. Some construction is very clear. You can drive through it and figure out exactly what the end result will be. However, there are some construction zones that are confusing. You begin to look around and wonder what in the world they are doing. Some zones look like a maze. But somewhere there is a plan. Somewhere someone has done all the work necessary to make sure that all the materials are in line. All of the roads will meet. All of the work done will be towards the desired goal.

I think many times life is a major construction zone. There are times in which God is at work in our world despite what we have done or what direction we are going. We make the construction difficult by the choices we make. God is always at work for good in our life. Though we slow down what God can do, God does not give up. Though we shut down the ability of God to go forward, God waits for us to open the door for construction to continue.

Construction is messy business. You have to be able to live through construction to see the final product. The middle of construction is the time when you want to simply give up. Nothing looks like it is ever going to finish. But it does. Finally one day, it becomes apparent.

A young woman began her work in college. She thought she wanted to study one thing only to find that she really was not cut out for that area. She thought of quitting. "I am just wasting time and money. I am a failure." But each time she would think it was the end, she would start again. It took her more work and longer hours but then one day it became clear to her where God wanted her to be. All the time she spent trying to discover what she wanted to be was the problem. Life became clear when she changed the question. She discovered her vocation—the work God desired for her.

Jeremiah was a young man speaking to a tired nation in exile. Life was difficult. Failures were more frequent than success. But Jerry spoke of a tomorrow that was designed by the Master Designer. Jerry gave them hope.

God is at work—do not forget that.

Pray for me as I pray for you.

I Am The Father of the Bride

So I am going to be father of the bride again. It is now less than a month away! It is my last time to do this. All three of my daughters will be married.

One of the things I have learned is that as a father you are never ready to see your daughter walk down the aisle. All daughters are most beautiful. All daughters are filled with anticipation. I will cry. Yes, I will be choking back the tears as I walk her down the aisle.

Planning the wedding is another matter. It is an adventure that one wants to do but one wants to survive. There are too many images of wedding in this world. There are too many dreams. There are never enough resources. There are more experts on weddings that one can ever want in life.

As a clergy person doing a wedding ceremony, it is a part of my job to calm the "experts" so that the bride has the wedding she dreamed of instead of what everyone else thinks she should have. There have been times that I have told aunts, uncles, best friends, mother in laws, etc. to just sit down and let go of their expectations. The only expert is the bride. It is her wedding.

Some pastors officiate at their daughter's weddings. I choose not to do this. This is a time when I am a father. The truth is that I could never do this anyway. I would cry during the whole time. So I will focus on being dad.

As a dad my job is to be quiet. It is hard for a dad to be quiet. It is even more difficult for a dad preacher to be quiet. But that is what I am learning to do. Or at least I am trying to do this. I want my daughter to have the wedding of her dreams. More importantly I want her to have the marriage she has dreamed having.

So I have decided to be the father of the bride who is also a pastor. What does that mean? I have been in constant prayer for my daughter, Miranda and her fiancé, Keith. I have prayed each day for their happiness and love to grow. I have prayed for Mandy and me to relax enough to enjoy being the parents of the bride. I have prayed for the grandkids to make it down aisle in peace (Little children are a challenge in a weddings).

Weddings are a gift from God. It is an opportunity to celebrate family and friends. It is a time to receive the wonderful gift of God. For me it is a time of being the father of the bride!

Pray for me as I pray for you.

Keep The Faith and It Will Keep You!

Let me set the record straight about two things Not everything that happens in life is the will of God. God is at work in life for goodness to happen.

On the way to the grocery store, life happens.

Children rebel and pull away from the things that they were taught. Tragedy comes to the good, the bad, and the ugly—sometime to all three at the same time. The good folks prosper. The bad folks prosper. Spouses choose to through away their covenant love for cheap love. Someone reaches out in compassion to the person in need. Cancer begins to slowly tear down a once healthy vibrant body. And the story goes on.

As life happens some choose to see that as always what God intended. I do not believe this to be true. Sometimes life happens because of the laws of nature. Sometimes life happens because of the selfishness of humanity. Tragedies come randomly as we live life. Mistakes are made. There was a time in civilization when knowledge was so limited that the only response that could be imagined was "God must be doing this." However there is knowledge today that gives us a better grip on life in some areas. Disease is not a punishment from God. It happens as a consequence of genetics, environment, or sometimes the choices we make.

So what do we do when life just happens? Believe and keep the faith.

Keeping the belief system in place is a tough thing to do. This is why during the good times of life; we "stockpile" the promises of God. We fill our lives with the evidence and assurance of God's love and God's care. I am always reminded that Noah built the ark while the sun was still shining. A practical way of doing this is to keep a private journal or notebook that underscores God's presence. I know a person who marks her Bible passages of promise and hope in yellow. On the dark days when life just happens, she says she looks for the sunshine (yellow) passages in her Bible.

Know you are not alone. Some folks try to take life's difficulties alone. Men have a tendency to do this. One is convinced that this is strength when it is not. It is weakness. Strength is reaching for help and companionship knowing that two or more are stronger than one. The assurance of faith knows that God is at work for goodness. What happens is not good---but God's creative power can make something good come out of life's difficulties.

A woman who suffered great tragedy in her life but became a beacon of light to those around her was once asked, "How do you do it? What is your secret?" Her answer was, "I keep the faith and it keeps me!"

So on the way to the grocery store, life WILL happen. Keep the faith and the faith will keep you—in life and life everlasting.

Pray for me as I Pray for you.

Invest in the Treasures That Matter

What is in your treasure chest?

Jesus said the words, "Where your treasure is, there your heart will be?"

A young man was grieving the loss of his father. His father's death had come quickly. The young man found himself sorting through the belongings of his father. He was searching for something. He did not know what it was. He just needed to look through his father's stuff.

He found a wooden box. It looked like a treasure chest. He had never seen this before. He opened it.

Inside the box, he found pictures of people that he did not know. Most of the pictures were of young persons, although not all of them. There were also some strange objects which seemed to be random—a belt buckle, an old grocery list,--none of these seemed to make sense. The young man's curiosity would not rest. He wanted to know the story behind the treasures.

The young man found a name on the back of one picture. He recognized the name so he decided to search out the person and see why his father had this picture. When he got to talk to the woman, her eyes were filled with tears. "Years ago when I was in college, I got to the point where I was going to have to quit school. The finances just were not there. Your father was a friend with my dad. Your dad called me and told me to stay in school. Each month I received a check that paid my tuition and books. He did this for three years. I never really got to tell him how much he changed my life."

Then the young man found the grocery receipt. It had also a name of a man who worked with his father for years. The young man found his way to the man's house and showed him the grocery receipt. The man's eyes filled with tears when he saw the receipt. "When I was younger, I had a problem with gambling. One day I took all of my paycheck and lost it---lost it all." I went to your father to ask him for an advance in pay. He demanded that I tell him what was going on. When he heard my story, we got in his car and went to the grocery store. There he bought enough groceries for my family for a month. He told me to keep my job I had to begin to attend a gambling helps group. He changed my life." The receipt was a reminder.

Time after time, the young man traced down the story of items in the treasure chest his father had kept over all the years. He heard the same story. Stories of where his father had quietly helped those who were in need in quite ways.

Finally the young man realized what he knew about his father. His father was a compassionate man who treasured the good things in life. He was never a man of great means. But the sons discovered the treasures of life with his heart.

In a day where the launch of a new IPhone is predicted to have a great impact on our country's economics, let us dare to invest differently.

When we die, may our sons find a treasure chest that is filled with the good stuff.

Pray for me as I pray for you.

Be the heart with Hands.

The past few days have brought back some memories from Katrina days. In some ways it is a difficult time remembering. In other ways it is a challenging time.

One of the images that came from Katrina for me was a heart with hands. Yeah, I know it is a weird image in some ways. But what people need during some times of rebuilding are hands. The heart is just not enough. It reminds me of the call that you would hear aboard a naval ship, "All hands on deck!" In a hospital setting, the word, "STAT" is heard. It means there is a sense of urgency. It is a way of saying, "Get off your duff and get with the program!" Rebuilding is not a spectator sport.

The other lesson we learned from Katrina was that good hands can be overwhelmed by the work ahead. In the beginning when teams would come to help, they would be sent out in teams of 4 – 6 persons. What we found is that number was too few. The overwhelming task drained the energy from the group. We learned to send groups of 10 -15 to one site. The size of the group provided enough energy towards the project that the work would continue. It was important to show progress quickly. Then the task did not seem too great.

There is often great good that can come from great struggles in life. For example, a group of doctors during the Korean War began to chart the length of recovery from surgery for patients that had to be moved quickly. The research showed that the quicker you moved the patient after surgery, the recovery time was shorter. So no longer do patients just lie around after surgery like they used to do. The doctors have you moving as quickly as possible. We learned this from war surgeons.

The good that can come from storms is when our hearts and hands reach out. You can spend time helping others during the difficulties of recovery. You can serve God by serving others. Acts of compassion become contagious.

So open your heart to those in need with prayer. Pray daily for those who are struggling to get their life back in order. Then give your heart and prayers flesh. Make the word become flesh by offering your hands to help.

Pray for me as I pray for you.

You Can Be Certain!

There is the cone of shame. It is the collar they put on the dogs when they are hurt. It keeps them from harming themselves while needing to heal.

There is the cone of silence. Some of you may remember seeing this in the old "Get Smart" movies. When there is something of high importance not to be heard by others, this big cone would drop down. It never seemed to work.

Then this week, we kept hearing about the cone of uncertainty. It is the weather person's way of saying, "We just really do not know." It is the area (sometimes very large) where the weather system is capable of going. The cone of uncertainty keeps us all on edge. Uncertainty does this. It confuses us. It can paralyze us because of the fear that it brings forth.

I would like to remind you that within the faith there is a cone of certainty. The writer of Hebrews in Chapter 12 starts out reminding us that we are surrounded by a cloud of witness. We are certain about what faith can do—what faith WILL do! Because of this, we are not paralyzed. We are not confused. We are certain. We know.

Knowing gives great power. Knowing enables us to have a destiny. I am constantly reminding people that whatever tomorrow holds, God is at work for goodness in our world. Does that mean that we will not suffer? No. Does that mean that life will not be difficult? Absolutely not. It means that whatever happens we are not alone. It means that whatever happens God will not be defeated. It means that there is nothing in this world that can keep us apart from God.

This is good news. This is certainty. In the old song, written by a blind woman named Fannie Crosby, we sing "Blessed Assurance, Jesus in mine. O what a foretaste of glory divine!" Ms. Crosby though not able to see with her eyes, saw with her faith.

During these anxious times, stand in the cone of certainty.

Pray for me as I pray for you.

In the Master's Name,

Dr. M. Jack O'Dell

Lead Pastor, The Well UMC

www.thewellumc.com or midweekmanna.com

Experience God’s love

A clergy friend of mine quoted a recent Barna study that revealed that 48 percent of Christians in the United States had not experienced God in church in the past year.

I have to tell you that my heart breaks when I read that.

Now don't get me wrong. I know what it is like to go to a worship service and just not experience the presence of God. The truth is that I have led some worship services that I did not really experience God. Now I know God was present because others experienced God. But for me, it was what some would call a dry run.

I would never be presumptuous to say that it was God's fault or even other's fault. If we have to find fault, I would have to confess it would probably me my fault. Maybe I was distracted or tired. It is tragic that when this happens (and it does happen) we try to blame the music, the preacher, the usher, the dog (did you know that in NYC they allow people to bring their dogs to church as long as they stay contained?) and the list goes on.

But what does it means when an entire year passes with no God experience?

Because of our free will, we can keep God out of our lives. We can be in the right place at the right time only to keep God at a safe distance. Experiencing God means giving up control. It is like handing over the remote control to the TV to someone else. It means yielding. It means opening ourselves to a force that will recreate us from the inside out. It means letting God on the inside of our skin. Scary stuff if you ask me.

But with God we are safe. God is not the critical parent waiting to punish us. God is not to be seen as saying, "I told you so…" God's love is constant as the air you breathe. God's always waiting to love you and me unconditionally—even on dry runs.

As a pastor, I am keenly aware of God's presence in worship. Every Sunday, and I mean every, I see people weeping in worship. Now it is not a public weeping or wailing. It is quiet tears of joy and sorrow mixed together. Sometimes as I sing, pray, or preach, MY eyes are filled with tears. You see, the experience of God is an awesome experience. It is overwhelming. It is never about me, always about God.

If you are a part of the 48 percent, find a place where you experience God. Quit rote worship. Just quit.

Find a holy place where God finds you. And you experience God's everlasting love. It will change your life.

Pray for me as I pray for you.

Reach Out When Life Gets Blurred

Life gets blurred sometimes.

Probably the time when most people experience this is when they cry. The tears begin to fill your eyes so much that your sight becomes blurred. It is then that we wipe our eyes. Sometimes we need a Kleenex to wipe our eyes. Sometimes we simply use our hands. Some have been taught that "big boys do not cry" so we begin to wipe our tears before they take away our sight.

Life gets blurry when our boundaries fall down. Sometimes our boundaries fail because we have convinced ourselves that there is more to life. One can become bored. Out of boredom one can do great damage to life. Many young people who act out in our world today are simply bored. They are seeking thrills without limits. Marriages and friendships are destroyed because people lose sense of their boundaries and do foolish things.

Life gets blurry when we are confronted with loss---loss of Job, loss of a friend, divorce, or loss by death. The tendency in this case is to isolate self in sadness. One becomes overwhelmed with a deep sense of grief. One becomes convinced that no one else must have ever gone through this dark valley. One can begin to experience a darkness and isolation that can endanger health and emotional wellness. Tears come too often. Sleep is either too long or none at all. Life's tasks can remain undone or neglected. Memory can be turned into a sense of regret or blame.

Jesus gives us an answer to the blurs of life. Let me share the different parts of the answer.

Life happens. That is the first part of Jesus' answer. When Jesus came to this earth, he was keenly aware of this. He became aware very early in his ministry that life was going to happen to him! Jesus knew that he was going to walk through many difficult moments and even death. Life just happens to all of us.

You are not to go through life alone. Jesus surrounded himself with his friends—his disciples. He had others who traveled with him and spent time with him. I think that Lazarus' house was obviously a place where Jesus went to be refreshed during difficult times. You have friends and places to be where you can experience the joy of life again. Friends remind us of the things in life that we really value. You can plug into a small group (Griefshare—about to start!) and journey with others through the valleys and darkness. Open yourself to a counselor or clergy person who can help you sort through the mire and mud of life. Sometimes it is best if someone else wipes your tears away so you can see.

Life is not over. Yes, it is difficult. Yes it has and will change. But God is not done with you! Find a place of worship and worship your way through this time of life. Place yourself where God can find you!! I like to think that God comes and recreates (plays) in the "stuff" of life that I find myself sitting in. Some of the greatest blessings in life come from what God does with our difficulties. God introduces us to what is yet to be! It is a part of the resurrection we experience in this life.

When life gets blurred, reach out. Not for a bottle or drugs or someone who has little or no faith. Better than any of this, is the hands of a Savior. Let Jesus meet you where you are. Let Jesus guide you towards a caring community who will weep with you and yes, dry your eyes so you can see once again.

Pray for me as I pray for you.

What Game Will You Play?

I am sure that you have been watching the Olympics. There is no way around it in some ways. Every time you turn on the media, there is news about someone winning, falling, or about to win. I am always sad to hear someone say that someone has failed because they only won silver or a bronze. Geez, they are only the second or third best in the world at that given time!

I am always impressed by the torch relay. It requires the participation of many over a long haul. It also requires that persons be willing to carry the torch. Willingness is always a litmus test in the faith. There seems to be more un-willingness in many churches that are dying. The only willingness in some is that the church will remain the same unto death.

You may not know it but there are some games played each Sunday in some churches. They are played willingly by those who are mostly unwilling. Maybe you recognize them. These games go on especially during the summer. Maybe you need to award a medal to those who excel!

Parking Lot Dash- This race is held each Sunday at the conclusion of the service. The runners are off and running at the last "Amen" of the service. Some have even been known to get a head start by leaving during the last verse of the last hymn. Shame on them! It is also known as "Beat the (insert other churches) to the Restaurant" game.

Back Pew (Seat) Dash-This race is for those who have been running for quite a while. It is the ability to get to church in time to get a seat on the last pew or seat. Normally this athlete would want the front seats to a concert or other games. But on Sunday, it is the best view of the entire congregation and place where sleeping is least noticed.

Offering Plate Relay-This is a race requiring great agility and concentration. It is the ability to pass the offering plate fast enough so that no one will notice if you put anything in it or not. Some have been known to place "empty" offering envelopes so as to appear to participate. The ushers have their own race as to how quickly the offering can be taken.

Five Verse Marathon-This marathon is the number of verses it takes to get someone to respond to the invitation at the conclusion of the service. At some special services held, this can turn into a variable verse marathon meaning someone will have to come forward so that this song can end.

Sanctuary High Hurdles-This is an event caused by those who refuse to sit in the center of the aisle or pew. Therefore, when others come and want to be seated, they must crawl over or jump over those who will not move while never breaking pace. The world record for this is a twelve person jump recorded by a young visitor to the "I Will Not Be Moved Church of the Holy Spirit". The visitor never returned to attempt to break the record.

The Spiritual Javelin and Hammer Throw-Each Sunday this is the word spears and hammers thrown by those who would criticize the pastor, choir, deacons, elders, Sunday School teachers, janitors, secretary, crying babies, children, youth, ---anyone who needs a good word jab or two. It doesn't matter who the target is. The medalist in this event usually has an extended experience in gossip and slander.

On second thought, maybe these ought NOT to be awarded medals! Maybe these are games that we can "unwill" ourselves to be a part of or recognize with a medal.

Pray for me as I pray for you.

 

 

Say “Yes” When God Calls

It doesn't seem like it was that long ago in some ways. In other ways, it seems like a marathon.

While serving as Chaplain of Centenary College, I was given a rare opportunity to spend many hours listening to students talk about life. I learned much about how different the world is today. On more than one occasion a student would sit down and visit with me about their majors. They would be struggling with the question of what they would do for the rest of their life. Strange as it may sound, each one of them thought that this was a question unique to them. It seemed as though everyone else had this compass that gave great surety which they did not have. It was at this point that I was able to give some perspective about the change in our world. In our world today, it is not unusual for persons to change jobs and even change careers. I assured them that God would direct their ways if they would be open to God's calling.

So how do you know when God is calling?

Sometimes God's calling is just trial and error. Now I know that is not what many want to hear. There is too much at stake. Peter, the disciple whom Jesus called "The Rock" learned much by trial and error. Remember at one point, Jesus even called him "Satan". I guess Rocky knew that he had messed up then! But through it all Peter slowly gained the vision of his future with God.

Timothy was given the gift of a faith compass through his mother and grandmother. Timothy came to know the direction of faith because he saw it lived out in those who nurtured him. For him, many questions were answered by asking the question, "What would my grandmother do or say in this situation?" Grand examples of faith before our eyes are great examples for us to discern God's calling.

Paul said "Yes" to God's calling through a dramatic vision or episode in life. His name was Saul. He was on his way to kill more of those heathen traitors. On the road, God meets him in a dramatic fashion—blinding him for three days. Even after this event, he is given counsel by Ananias. From the combination of these events, a new man was born. Paul wrote two thirds of the New Testament!

It is all about saying "Yes!" when God calls.

Thirty seven years ago this month, Ed Thomas called me. He had been my pastor in Minden First Church. He was now the district superintendent of the Ruston District. I had no idea why he wanted to meet with me. It was there that God invited me to begin a journey. He had two little churches that needed a pastor. Another church close to these churches needed a youth director. He asked me if I would consider serving. After much prayer and counsel, I said "yes'. I was nineteen years old at the time. Over the years to follow, Ed Thomas would continue to give me wise counsel on the journey. When I am confronted with some decisions in ministry, I often ask the question, "What do I think Ed would tell me to do?" The memory of his faithful ministry still speaks loudly to me.

The journey of ministry has led me to many places and people. There have been many good days and many difficult days. I have been blessed by many. I have been cursed by some. I have seen wonderful births and said words of eternal hope in the midst of death and loss. I look forward to the days ahead doing what God would have me do. I am still listening for God's call. I pray that I will continue to say "Yes!"

Say "Yes" when God calls!

Pray for me as I pray for you.

In the Master's Name,

Jack O'Dell

Lead Pastor, The Well UMC

Offer the World Jesus!

Our world has been rocked again with great tragedy. It does not make sense. Why? How could people be so filled?

Random acts of violence happen more than we ever wish. They happen more than we hear about. It seems that we are sensitive to them only when it rocks our world. It is then we begin to ask question. Many become theological. The questions sound like: "Why would God allow such things? Where is God? or Why would God do this?"

There are some people who think that all of the things that happen on this world are acts of God. I must confess that while this attitude seems to make life pretty much mapped out I find great difficulty in it. When a person commits suicide, God did it? Surely not! God was punishing this person? No! God was acting for good in the long run? This is not what biblical justice is about. What kind of a character would God be? When accidents happen in this world, God is at the hand? Absolutely not! Persons who keep this view usually see God mainly acting as a critical parent. Usually their own personal narratives have many critical parents in them.

It seems that God in the design of humanity gave us more than we sometimes want—free will. Free will is like all the rest of life's gifts. It can be used for good and creative purposes. Or it can be used for selfish purposes. A consequence of this freedom is illnesses that have been created by our world and our choices. Another consequence of this is evil. We allow evil to reign in our heart and minds. We make camp with bitterness and envy until our actions are so filled with things that are far from God's intention.

So while all this random act of violence happens, where is God? What is God doing? God is present. Although it seems that God is absent, God is not. God is there touching the hearts of those who hurt with God's eternal hope. God is present as John Wesley would say, "wooing us" to open our hearts and hands to the work of the Living Spirit. God is always inviting us to become hands of grace.

God is the one that is the source of random acts of kindness. God is the one that seeks to show us in our daily living how to live sacrificially and wholly given to extending compassion to others. God is the one who invites us to break camp with evil and bitterness and journey in grace and forgiveness. God is the one who take the streams of water that we have dammed up and creates living streams of rushing water that is fresh and capable of great power.

Many of us remember seeing a picture of Jesus standing at a door. The image of the human form of God is lit with the golden beam of a light that is shining in the dark. It seems as though it could be a front door of any home or cottage in the country side. The caption of the picture is "Behold, I stand at the door and knock." Many persons have looked at this painting and failed to notice one significant thing in the painting. The door is not a common door. The door that Jesus is knocking at has no handle. The handle for the door is only on the other side of the door.

When our world is rocked, invited Jesus in! The answer God gives during these difficult times is God's presence and compassion. We can offer the world random acts of God's love.

Pray for me as I pray for you.

 

Dr. M. Jack O'Dell

Lead Pastor, The Well UMC

God Is Looking For You

A telephone solicitor heard the voice of a young boy on the other end of the phone.

"Can I speak to your mom?"

"No, she is busy!"

"Can I speak to your dad?"

"No he is busy too!"

"What are mom and dad doing that keeps them so busy?"

"They are helping the firemen and the police here at the house."

"What are the fireman and police doing at your house?"

"Looking for me" said the little boy.

Have you ever realized how God is looking for you?

God searches out Adam and Eve in the garden. They have eaten the forbidden fruit after the conversation with the talking snake. They realize they are naked. I am not sure whether it is the nakedness or the fear of disobeying God (or both!) that leads them to hide from God. But God finds them.

Jesus tells three lost stories in the Gospel of Luke. There is the lost sheep where the shepherd loses one and leaves the ninety nine. Then there is the lost coin that a woman turns her house upside down to find. Finally there is the lost son that the Father runs to meet when the son comes to his senses. The Father gains the son that has come home only to lose the son that has been there all along.

We like to think that God has more to care about than each one of us. But it simply is not true. God will not rest until ALL of the world is found.

When my son, Noah was a little boy he loved to play hide and seek. When he was annoying his sisters, they loved to play hide and seek with him. But he was not good at the game. All you had to do is say, "Noah, where are you?" His little voice wherever he was would answer, "Over here!" If you did not find him in a short period of time, he would come out from his hiding place.

You may be in hiding. You may think God is not looking for you. But you are wrong. God is always searching for you. God is always wooing you back to where you should be. You can always be found by God.

Pray for me as I pray for you.

 

Lie Down and Rest

There is that line in the 23^rd Psalm, "He makes me lie down..."

I sent my son to the grocery store the other day. Sending my son to the grocery store used to be quite an adventure. You never knew what he would end up buying. You never knew how long it would take him to get there and back even if it was only five minutes away. You know there are a lot of ways one can go to the grocery store.

So Noah comes into the house after a short while and says, "Dad, come see if you can turn off your car." Now the thought of a car not being able to be turned off had never crossed my mind. The thought of my car not turning off sent fear throughout my whole body as I have zero mechanical skills. In fact, I have negative numbers when it comes to mechanical skills. But sure enough, the car would not turn off. You could even take the key out and it would continue running. So what do I do now?

Well, my first thought was to get it to a place that when it did stop running it would not be in the way or in a line of danger for me or anyone else. The second thought (which became my first thought quickly) was I need to get this to a mechanic. So I drove the car that would not start to the shop.

Some of us have the same problem that my car had. We do not know how to stop. Maybe it is that we do not know when to stop. Maybe it is the fact that we have such low self-esteem that if we were to stop, we would be of less value to the world. Sometimes it is the emotions that will not let us stop. Whatever it is, our motor—our mind, spirit, or body will not turn off.

It is an exhausting way to live life. We martyr ourselves daily making sure that the world around us knows that we are doing this. We blame anything and everything for anything and everything. Usually we end up crashing or at least driving through the world around us wreaking havoc in every direction.

The Psalmist says that God says, "Lie Down!" Not only are we to lie down but we are to lie down beside the still waters. Obviously God does not have insight into our troubled life. Or does God really have more insight than what we want to admit.

A good mechanic takes the car that will not stop and knows how to immediately turn the car off, disconnect the battery so it will not run down. Then the mechanic puts a new part in the ignition that recognizes the power of the key. Did you hear that last part—recognizes the power of the key?

God is the key to our life and our restfulness. You can trust God with the world, even your crazy world, and rest.

I served a troubled church one time. It troubled me greatly as well. Each day I would begin the drive home carrying too many burdens in too many places. Finally on the way home at a four way stop not far from my house, I had had enough. I could go no more. I asked God to help me in a way I had never done before. God invited me to rest. I heard God say to me that every day on my way home, at the four way stop, I could unload the burdens of the day and leave them there. I could go home and rest. I could go home and just enjoy being with my family. So that became a ritual. Some days I had to let some cars go around me at the four way stop as I was not through unloading the burdens. But each morning on the way back to work, I could pick up the previous days concerns at the four way stop. They seemed lighter because I was rested.

Rest. It is necessary. Let the power of the key (God's presence) turn off the motor that will not stop.

Pray for me as I pray for you

Staying Married is Work!

And they lived happily ever after.

These are the words of a fairy tale. Fairy tales is a genre of literature that we all know are fantasy. This means the story is full of things that are not real. The reality of marriage is that it is hard work. Those who tell you otherwise are simply not being truthful.

The reason that marriage is hard work is that I am hard to live with. Yes, I know many of you are shaking your heads in disbelief. But it is true. It is true for you as well. Each one of us is difficult to live with. We have our own rough edges. We all have our moments in which we are less than beautiful. If you do not believe it, just look in the mirror early one morning.

Now having said all that let me tell you that it is worth all the work. There are days that romance fills the air. There are days that you stare into each other's world goo goo eyed. There are days when you are glad that you have held their hand and their heart. There are days that you are glad that you are glad someone else held your hand and your heart.

In today's world the statistics tell us that half of the marriages will fail. That number goes even higher for persons who live together before they are married or are in their second or third marriage. I think it is because of the work involved in staying married. We simply are not willing to give the relationship the time necessary. We are not willing to grow up.

The second reason marriages fail is infidelity. The other word for that is cheating. The biblical word for that is fornication.

A refined woman showed up at her drugstore one morning. "I need some cyanide." The druggist who was a dear friend of hers said, "What in the world do you need cyanide for?" She answered, "My husband has been unfaithful and I am going to kill him!" The druggist answered, "Now you know that I cannot give you such. It is against the law. I know it is a terrible thing, but you must think this through." The woman then pulled out a picture of her husband in bed with the druggist's wife. The druggist then said, "You didn't tell me you had a prescription!"

God's prescription for marriage is love, forgiveness, faithfulness, and yes—work. Give each other the time needed. Grow up as you grow in love and years. This week, I am fortunate to celebrate 25 years of marriage with my darling wife, Mandy. She has blessed me in so many ways. And yes, we have had to work at it but it is worth all the work!

And we have lived happily—most of the time.

Pray for me as I pray for you

Do More Meet Less

It is just a silly story that came to me.

There was once a city somewhere in the United States.

The governing body of the city became deeply concerned when it came to their attention that people were actually hungry. Something just had to be done. So the strategies began.

At the first meeting in which hunger was placed on the agenda, a young man stood up and offered a solution. Let's plant a community garden and share. We share the work. We share the garden goods with those in need. With that, he left the meeting and planted a garden on an abandoned field near the town.

The Council heard the idea but the decision was made that the idea needed to be refined. Therefore, a study committee was appointed to study the options as to what plants would yield greater results as well as where the best place would be to plant the field. After the first meeting of the study group, the group came back to the Council suggesting that it also include in its study a look at what other cities had done to face the problem.

The Daughters of American Gardeners (DAG) decided that it would be necessary to honor all of those who had planted gardens in the area over the past 100 years. After all these folks had paved the way for gardening in the area and to not honor their work would be a slap in their face. The Council adopted an official day of recognition for this celebration.

The local ministerial association decided that there needed to be a day of prayer to ready the city for the task ahead of them. The God Almighty would be the one to bless the crops and allow the problem to be resolved. It would also be a great time of spiritual renewal for the community.

The Mothers Against Youth Being Endangered (MAYBE)) organized within 30 days. These Mothers of all ages would take a stand against what hunger can do to the youth of our day.

The Political Action Pac Against Hunger (PAPAH) immediately when into action. The group of political pundits had a $1000 plate benefit in which the money raised was used to run political advertisements identifying politicians who voted against hunger oriented legislation. Some of the money raised was also used to prosecute persons who planted a garden in places where city resolutions prohibited them to be planted. Nothing worse in life than illegal gardens.

There was more action and movement in the city than one can imagine. However do not confuse action and movement with resolution.

Three months later, the young man passed out food the hungry in the city. Their smiles were his reward for the work he had put in the field.

One of the things that amazes me about the life of Jesus is that nowhere in the scriptures do I find that he organized a study or held a committee meeting. Jesus just went about doing good.

Maybe our world would benefit with less meetings and studies and more hands doing the work of compassion. When all is said and done, may more be done than said!

Pray for me as I pray for you.

Life is Too Short!

For those whose spiritual life is not at its highest point, I need to give you information you probably are not privy to have. The 112^th U.S. Open Championship Tournament was held this past week. Webb Simpson won it.

Golf is a spiritual game. I can play a round of golf with someone and learn a lot about their spiritual life. For some playing with a clergy is a challenge. When I have met some folks on the golf course, when asked what I do for a living, I have answered, "I'll tell you after we putt out on 18!" I do not want to spoil their round!

For many years, my brother, Larry and I would play in some golf tournaments. We would take a Sunday off and play during the weekend. We enjoyed tournament competition—most of the time. One tournament we were paired with two Baptist deacons. The first nine was one of those rounds where there was not much talk. They were played great golf. They were also speaking in tongues and consuming lots of beer. We were not playing well at all. As we made our way to the 10^th tee, one of their buddies ruined their day. "How are ya'll making out playing with the two preachers?" All of a sudden they were trying to remember what they had said and done. They began to apologize for everything. They shot a 50 on the back nine! We were amused.

I remember playing with two guys where I learned the B and J rules of golf. These were two church members who had played together for years. They invited me to play a round with them. Usually golf is ruled by the United States Golf Association rules. Each person is responsible for enforcing these rules for themselves. However a person playing with you also enforces the rules to protect the field of competition.

The B and J rules were quite different. First of all you had to walk. How could you carry on a conversation riding? A pull cart was permissible even encouraged. If you hit a hazard, you had the option of hitting another ball or just lifting from the hazard with no penalty. If you needed to move your ball or tee it up to hit it, no problem. Once you began putting on the green, you continued until you finished. You never had more than two putts per hole. The maximum number of strokes per hole was two over par. Your efforts were recognized in deduction of swings taken on the hole. If you found a golf ball, you gave it to your playing partner. Two whiffs equaled a free "throw" of the golf ball. It causes less damage than throwing the club. Laughter during, after, and before the shots was encouraged. Any snacks harbored in your bag for the round had to be shared with everyone.

I have never laughed so much during a round of golf as I did with these two guys. They enjoyed each other's company. They enjoyed their round of golf. As we were loading our clubs back in the car, I asked them how they came up with the B and J rules of golf. B looked at me and said, "The days and the courses became too long!" Without a moment's pause, J continued, "and life is too short!"

I think Jesus spent time with the disciples laughing and loving. Maybe it was the time at Lazarus' house. Maybe it was on the journey around the Galilee. Good friends make it a habit to laugh a lot and love even more.

Life is too short to not laugh and love. I think somewhere in the heavens these two guys are still playing golf.

Pray for me as I pray for you.