It is Okay Just to Be!

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect  Romans 12:2

Are you busy?   Are you too busy?

Most of us would say "Yes!"  If someone were to call us and say, "What are you doing?"  Most of us would be ashamed to say, "Nothing--I am doing nothing today!"  If your boss comes into your work space and asks  "What are you working on?"  We would have a list of tasks that would legitimate our position.

Some of us are list people.  You have made a list of all those things that you must do today.  If you are a time management person, you have rated them on a scale of importance.  I am going to make sure all the "1's" get done today.

Then there are the people who whine and complain about never having time.  We all do it to some extent.  There is a tendency to think that the reason some other people get important things done is that they have more hours in the day than we do.  Or we are the victim of others "dumping" things on our plate to do.

The world will tell you that your existence is about doing.  Do!  Do!  Do!  Get going!  Your value and your worth are determined by what you do!  Once you cannot do anything you might as well die.  

Now let me be clear. I am all about getting things done.  But I believe the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the Bible invites us to use a different standard.  It is the standard of Being.  Who you ARE is more important that what you DO!!!

Being requires us to be directed by the Spirit life.  Being demands us to spend time in reflection and in Sabbath time (worship and rest).  Being demands that we breath more and rest more.  Being believes that our DOING is done better when we are well within.  Being sees life as a marathon not a sprint.  

The image of God in the journey freeing the Israelites from bondage is seen in the name God gives to Moses on the Holy Mountain.  Moses asks God what name he should tell people when they asked what God has sent him.  God answers, "I AM Who I AM."  The better translation of the Hebrew is actually, "I WILL BE Who I WILL BE!"  God's nature is in being.  Being with us.  Being around us!  It is that nature of being that is withing us as well.

All of this is to say spend some time being today instead of doing.  Just be with God.  Just be with yourself.  Just be with your family.  Breath more.  Talk less.  Rest.  Relax.  Listen.  

Pray for me as I pray for you.

In the Master's Name,

Dr. M. Jack O'Dell

www.stlukesimpson.org

www.midweekmanna.com

Congrats to Graduates!

It is graduation time!  Some parents are continuing their celebration!  Some are breathing a big sigh of relief.  Still others are crying tears--is it joy and sorrow mixed?  The graduates are filled with excitement but now face a new challenge.  School?  Work? Job?  Welcome to life!

So I would dare to give grads a few nuggets of wisdom.

Yo mama (papa) is not gonna nag ya like they used to.

I hope so at least.  It is now time for you to take responsibility for your life.  It means getting up and going to work (class).  It means that you will not have as much room service as you were perhaps used to.   It does not mean that you are not loved any less.  It is just means that is it now a new day in your life.  It is YOUR life!

Do not throw your pearls to the pigs.

There are some very precious things in life that you will want to guard.  Your word.  Your honor.  Your faith.  Your fidelity.  There are plenty of folks in the world that will want to take from  you more than you want to give.  Some of these will be disguised as friends.  You will discover they are not.  It is a normal part of life.  Don't beat yourself up.  Keep your sacred and holy both sacred and holy.

You will make some mistakes.   Failure is not final. 

You will learn life's lessons by mistakes.  Learn to confess your mistakes.  The world knows you are not perfect.   Learn to laugh at yourself.   Those who really care about you will forgive you.  Those who have a hard heart and unforgiving spirit are not going to be there anyway.  

Take good risks in life.

Notice that I did not say try everything.  Take good risks.  A survey of older people at the end of their life noted that the most regretful part of their life was that they did not take enough risks.  You will know the difference between stupid and risk.  If you do not know, have a trusted older person that will give you honest feedback.  

Make new friends.

The best definition of a stranger is a friend that I haven't met yet.  Be a friend.  Meet people who are different from you.  You will realize that there are some people who are not people that bring out your best.  Keep your distance from these folks.  But meet people who are different from you.  They can teach you about yourself and life.

Keep a journal.

Keep a journal and make some notes about life as you go through it.  I wish I had done this earlier in my ministry.  My memory is fading.  During the difficult times of life, this journal will be good medicine.  When I had my heart attack and was recuperating, I spent time sorting old pictures from all the years.  It was really good medicine for me.  

Pray

Many grads move away from God and organized religion.  Resist this temptation.  Develop a prayer life.  If you have a grandparent praying for you, cherish them.  If you do not have one, borrow one.  Find one.  

Congrats to all!  I am proud of you!  Pray for me as I pray for you.

In the Master's Name,

Dr. M. Jack O'Dell

www.stlukesimpson.org

www.midweekmanna.com

Manna--Love Can Outweigh Sin!

As  a little boy I learned a song.  Maybe you did too!

“O be careful little mouth what you say!  O be careful little mouth what you say!

For the Father up above is looking down in love

O be careful little mouth what you say!”

There were others verses about what you see and what you do! 

In the news, there has been much about hearing other’s conversations.  The news media loves to play this game.  The ability to “catch” someone is rampant in our world.  We are constantly under the watch of cell phones and cameras.  It used to be easier to deny.  It was their word against mine.  Now it is replay.  The denial becomes “I did not mean what I said.”  Or “rutrow!” (Shaggy Do talk for “Ut oh!”)

But do you notice what the song says?  God is looking down in love.  God is NOT the critical parent waiting to pounce on you.  God is not waiting to replay what you say to shame you.  I would suggest that God works out of a different emotion---love.

There are some that want you to believe that God’s love is conditional.  God loves you when you are a good boy or good girl.  You have to clean up your life to be loved.  God is up there writing down all your sins so that they can be held against you.  God is waiting to show you!

Jesus told a wonderful story about God’s love. God is the waiting father wanting the son to return.  The son meets the father with words of shame and regret. The father does not even spend time listening.  The father overwhelms the son with love.

When someone loves you so much you will not want to disappoint them or harm them.  This becomes the motive for our actions and behavior.  I would never want to hurt those who love me.  The pleasure that I would gain by sin is outweighed by the love that I receive.

When you are tempted, remember how much you are loved.

Pray for me as I pray for you.

In the Master’s Name,

Rev. Dr. Jack O’Dell

www.stlukesimpson.org

www.midweekmanna.com

Seek and Celebrate Mother's Day!

I have enjoyed hearing Mommilies over the last few days.   A "Mommily" is a saying that your mom said over and over to you.  It is funny cause one day without even thinking YOU say them as a parent.  Then you laugh.  

The latest funny mommily I have heard is the mom that told her children in the early years of schooling, "if you are good at school Monday through Friday, you can stay home from school Saturday and Sunday!"  The kids believed the mom!  They thought that was how it worked--at least for a while.

I know of one mom that anytime the kids go to the Chinese place to eat, the fortune cookie that is read to the kids always says something about minding your parents or behaving.  That will work for a while as well!

There are many blessings to being a mom.  Watching your kids grow up and become all they can become.  Hearing the laughter of children.  One mom confided that her favorite children sound was the singing in the bathtub!  Children bring so much to our world.  I think that is why Jesus described the kingdom of God as being like a child.

But do not forget that being a mom is a struggle.  There are so many demands--external and internal.  There are times when you feel so inadequate.    Kids do not come with a manual.  I do not think it would make it any easier.    There are some moms that just do not have it in them to mom.  They struggle more than they celebrate.  The world tells us to busy ourselves way too much.  Too many games and activities to take kids to or attend.  Too many things the world tells you that you need to buy into.  Single moms find themselves so alone sometimes.   For all of these moms, stop and pray.

Mother's Day is a day of rejoicing.  But it is also a day of sadness and sorrow.  I know of some people that withdraw from Mother's Day celebrations for one reason or another.  I would encourage you to resist this temptation.  There is much to be sought and celebrated on this day.  Seek out the celebration.  Let go of that which you cannot change nor bear.  Give that to God!

A word of gratitude to all the mothers!   Thanks!  We love you! Teach us to love you more!  Seek and Celebrate this weekend!

Being There Changes Your Life

The other day a person was describing their understanding of what it was like to be in New Orleans during Katrina.  I listened to what she imagined it was like.  She had painted quite a picture in her mind and was sharing it vividly.  She finished with the statement, "Can you imagine?"  My response to her was, "No!  I do not have to imagine. I was there!"

I have lived a very privileged life where I have been able to see much of the world.  Reading about it gives one perspective.  Seeing it gives another!  Sometimes seeing it changes our whole perspective.  Sometimes seeing it enables us to have more clarity.

I think this is the experience of Thomas.  I do not think he did not want to see Jesus alive  He wanted to experience Jesus being alive!  The experience of touching and seeing Jesus alive gave him great clarity about what God is doing in life.  It was this clarity in life that led Thomas to India as a missionary.  Tradition tells us that he baptized Christians there.  

The gospel writer after telling the story of Thomas proclaims that Jesus did many other things that are not written in the Gospels.  The purpose of the writing was to help you believe that Jesus Christ is Lord!  Begin with believing and then see where that leads you! Once you believe you begin to see as you have never seen before.

It has been quite a while. But when I visited the Holy Land, my whole faith experience was reshaped.  There was greater clarity about Biblical stories.  I wished that I had gone immediately after seminary.  I think it is great that in our Conference after one is ordained, the Annual Conference sends you to the Holy Land.

Mandy and I are going to lead a group to the Holy Land in January 2015.  It will be a ten day trip leaving on January 27th.  If you would like to join us, let me know.  I will be glad to send you information.  I am looking forward to making this journey again with family and friends.  My brother, Larry and his wife, Judy will also be going!

Even if you do not get the opportunity to go to the Holy Land, begin to see Jesus anew.  Be present with the Risen Lord!  It will change you life!

Pray for me as I pray for you.

In the Master's Name,

Dr. M. Jack O'Dell

www.midweekmanna.com

www.stlukesimpson.org