Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Oh brother
Hahahahahahahahaha.
I thought today was Monday. But it's not. It's Tuesday. My Go M.A.D. Monday post, should have been posted yesterday.
I thought today was Monday. But it's not. It's Tuesday. My Go M.A.D. Monday post, should have been posted yesterday.
Go M.A.D Monday
I knew I should have thought of this a little more. When I went MAD this week, it wasn't in any real tangible way, and I'm not sure it had the desired effect.
You know the saying "The more things change, the more they stay the same"? That thought kept running through my mind Sunday as our pastor of 19 years (!!!!!) stepped down to partially retire. The transition from our associate pastor moving to the role of senior pastor has been planned and in the works for a couple of years, so it wasn't a harsh, abrupt thing.
It isn't like Jake died suddenly and we were all left in the lurch. It isn't like he won't be attending our church anymore, because he will be.
It isn't really like there is a huge sense of loss either, at least not on my part. I still get to see him, talk to him, interact with him. I still get to tell him the funny things my children do.
Sunday morning when I walked into church I glanced at the darkened sanctuary. We normally have 2 services so the sanctuary is not dark when I arrive. As I glanced in, I saw Jake sitting there alone with just his thoughts for company.
I quietly slipped in the back and sat next to him in the pew. I didn't say much ( I know...hard to imagine), I did say he was forbidden from dying. I simply wouldn't allow it. We chatted about chastening, and he told me I could not send my girlies to him because he was done with that. But I know if he ever sees them behave in a way that is wrong, he will step up and correct them. We talked about how we were all younger when he first came to our church. He was only a couple years older than my dear man is now. My mind kept going to the day in May of 1995 when I wore white and walked down that aisle that seemed 10 years long. We chatted about weddings and agreed that mine was the best. (I might have been the one to say it and he might have just agreed and I might be just a little bit biased.) He told me a friend of his preferred funerals to weddings because "he's never buried someone who became unburied."
I kept quietly wondering what it will be like to have a pastor who is less than a year older than I am. I haven't ever had a peer be my pastor. I do know, that while I love both men, I won't have the same relationship with Dan as I have with Jake. Jake has, maybe unknowing, stepped in and filled a lack in my life. I've been mentored by him and his wife, I've looked to them, I've watched them and thought, "I want to be like that!"
I went into the darkened, almost un-inhabited sanctuary early Sunday morning to minister, but I am the one who walked away ministered too.
You know the saying "The more things change, the more they stay the same"? That thought kept running through my mind Sunday as our pastor of 19 years (!!!!!) stepped down to partially retire. The transition from our associate pastor moving to the role of senior pastor has been planned and in the works for a couple of years, so it wasn't a harsh, abrupt thing.
It isn't like Jake died suddenly and we were all left in the lurch. It isn't like he won't be attending our church anymore, because he will be.
It isn't really like there is a huge sense of loss either, at least not on my part. I still get to see him, talk to him, interact with him. I still get to tell him the funny things my children do.
Sunday morning when I walked into church I glanced at the darkened sanctuary. We normally have 2 services so the sanctuary is not dark when I arrive. As I glanced in, I saw Jake sitting there alone with just his thoughts for company.
I quietly slipped in the back and sat next to him in the pew. I didn't say much ( I know...hard to imagine), I did say he was forbidden from dying. I simply wouldn't allow it. We chatted about chastening, and he told me I could not send my girlies to him because he was done with that. But I know if he ever sees them behave in a way that is wrong, he will step up and correct them. We talked about how we were all younger when he first came to our church. He was only a couple years older than my dear man is now. My mind kept going to the day in May of 1995 when I wore white and walked down that aisle that seemed 10 years long. We chatted about weddings and agreed that mine was the best. (I might have been the one to say it and he might have just agreed and I might be just a little bit biased.) He told me a friend of his preferred funerals to weddings because "he's never buried someone who became unburied."
I kept quietly wondering what it will be like to have a pastor who is less than a year older than I am. I haven't ever had a peer be my pastor. I do know, that while I love both men, I won't have the same relationship with Dan as I have with Jake. Jake has, maybe unknowing, stepped in and filled a lack in my life. I've been mentored by him and his wife, I've looked to them, I've watched them and thought, "I want to be like that!"
I went into the darkened, almost un-inhabited sanctuary early Sunday morning to minister, but I am the one who walked away ministered too.
Monday, September 6, 2010
Motivationally challenged.
Cassidy took my Hop-a-long.
My get up and go, got up and went.
If I had zero motivation, I would have more than I have right now.
Last night we were asking the girls what they learned. It was Beanie's turn to share and this is what she said, "I learned that if you put a bumble bee in a tumbler and roll it down a hill, it will die."
The sermon illustration actually went more like this, "If you put a bumble bee in a tumbler, and leave the top open it will poke along the bottom looking for a way out until it dies. Because it doesn't think to look up and fly out."
A few weeks ago I was challenged to run every day. Okay actually a friend told me he had run every day for 51 days. I thought "I can do better than that."
Because I'm nice that way.
And my goal is running every day for 52 days. I don't have to beat him by much, just beat him. I started August second, today was my 36th day of running. I was not motivated in the least bit. No, in fact to say that doesn't begin to touch how unmotivated I really was.
So I ran for a grand total of five minutes. Yup, I ran a half a mile and walked the half mile home. I don't have to run long or hard, I just have to run. Shoot, I could have run from the bedroom to the chair and called it good.
My get up and go, got up and went.
If I had zero motivation, I would have more than I have right now.
Last night we were asking the girls what they learned. It was Beanie's turn to share and this is what she said, "I learned that if you put a bumble bee in a tumbler and roll it down a hill, it will die."
The sermon illustration actually went more like this, "If you put a bumble bee in a tumbler, and leave the top open it will poke along the bottom looking for a way out until it dies. Because it doesn't think to look up and fly out."
A few weeks ago I was challenged to run every day. Okay actually a friend told me he had run every day for 51 days. I thought "I can do better than that."
Because I'm nice that way.
And my goal is running every day for 52 days. I don't have to beat him by much, just beat him. I started August second, today was my 36th day of running. I was not motivated in the least bit. No, in fact to say that doesn't begin to touch how unmotivated I really was.
So I ran for a grand total of five minutes. Yup, I ran a half a mile and walked the half mile home. I don't have to run long or hard, I just have to run. Shoot, I could have run from the bedroom to the chair and called it good.
Thursday, September 2, 2010
It is time
It's time to announce the winner of my Wise Giveaway!!! I would have announced it yesterday but we started school and let's just say...it was most decidedly NOT a good day.
So, our winner is Maura!!! I'll be in contact with her about her winning and I'll pop it in the mail. I'm sure she will be thrilled!
So, our winner is Maura!!! I'll be in contact with her about her winning and I'll pop it in the mail. I'm sure she will be thrilled!
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Go MAD
This morning I am continuing my study of the gospel of Luke. I am supposed to be reading verses 25-37, but I don't think I'll make it through those 12 verses. Because I was forced to stop after verse 29. Don't you just love it when God jumps off the page and you're forced to stop and ponder what you just read?
I do. I love it when God says, "I don't care how many verses you're "supposed" to read. Stop here! Ponder this. Meditate on it. Make it a part of you."
These 4 verses reveal the story of the scribe who asked Jesus what he needed to do to inherit eternal life. This scribe was, pardon the pun, well versed in the law. He had written it (and other things, to be sure) probably at least once and probably more often. Yet, he came to see what Jesus said he would need to do to obtain eternal life.
This passage says nothing about the man wanting to trap Jesus in any way. Maybe he was and maybe he wasn't. But obviously this man, who knew the law, knew that eternal life could not come from the law.
But Jesus ever faithful to meet us where we are, used what this man knew to give him an answer. He asked the man;
I noticed he didn't ask who his God was. I wonder if it is easier to love a somewhat abstract God than it is to love a tangible neighbor? Is it easier to love and serve God, or at least profess to love and serve God, while ignoring at best or hating at worst our neighbor?
Can one love God and hate their neighbor? We see other teachings of Jesus that deny that possibility.
Was Jesus calling this man's love of God into question, or his love for his neighbor? Obviously the man had trouble loving his neighbor. (and we know from Jesus answer, our neighbor is not only the one living next door) This man is not the only one, I need look no further than my own heart and know that is true.
KLOVE is promoting a "Go MAD" campaign of sorts. They encourage listeners to "Go MAD Mondays", or "Go Make A Difference". Go do something to show love, kindness and compassion for your neighbor. I enjoy listening to people call in and share what they have done in the past week to Go MAD.
I think the more often we "GO MAD!" the more our love for our neighbor will grow. And I don't know about you but I want to live. And since loving my neighbor is part of how I will live, I'm all for it.
I know it's Wednesday, but I'd like to issue a challenge to my readers. Let's Go MAD! Let's think of things we can do and then take it the next step and actually DO IT, between now and next Monday. Then on Monday, let's blog about what we have done, what the reaction is, and how it affected us. Please make sure you leave me a comment so I can come read how you went MAD and if you need to, link back to this post.
Some simple ideas to get your creative juices flowing:
I do. I love it when God says, "I don't care how many verses you're "supposed" to read. Stop here! Ponder this. Meditate on it. Make it a part of you."
These 4 verses reveal the story of the scribe who asked Jesus what he needed to do to inherit eternal life. This scribe was, pardon the pun, well versed in the law. He had written it (and other things, to be sure) probably at least once and probably more often. Yet, he came to see what Jesus said he would need to do to obtain eternal life.
This passage says nothing about the man wanting to trap Jesus in any way. Maybe he was and maybe he wasn't. But obviously this man, who knew the law, knew that eternal life could not come from the law.
But Jesus ever faithful to meet us where we are, used what this man knew to give him an answer. He asked the man;
What does the law of Moses say? How do you read it?The man answered Jesus:
'You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength and all your mind.' And 'love your neighbor as yourself.''Jesus tells him to "do this and you will live". I don't think the man misunderstood Jesus' point. But his next question is what stopped me. He asked, "Who is my neighbor?"
I noticed he didn't ask who his God was. I wonder if it is easier to love a somewhat abstract God than it is to love a tangible neighbor? Is it easier to love and serve God, or at least profess to love and serve God, while ignoring at best or hating at worst our neighbor?
Can one love God and hate their neighbor? We see other teachings of Jesus that deny that possibility.
Was Jesus calling this man's love of God into question, or his love for his neighbor? Obviously the man had trouble loving his neighbor. (and we know from Jesus answer, our neighbor is not only the one living next door) This man is not the only one, I need look no further than my own heart and know that is true.
KLOVE is promoting a "Go MAD" campaign of sorts. They encourage listeners to "Go MAD Mondays", or "Go Make A Difference". Go do something to show love, kindness and compassion for your neighbor. I enjoy listening to people call in and share what they have done in the past week to Go MAD.
I think the more often we "GO MAD!" the more our love for our neighbor will grow. And I don't know about you but I want to live. And since loving my neighbor is part of how I will live, I'm all for it.
I know it's Wednesday, but I'd like to issue a challenge to my readers. Let's Go MAD! Let's think of things we can do and then take it the next step and actually DO IT, between now and next Monday. Then on Monday, let's blog about what we have done, what the reaction is, and how it affected us. Please make sure you leave me a comment so I can come read how you went MAD and if you need to, link back to this post.
Some simple ideas to get your creative juices flowing:
- Pay for the car behind you in the drive-thru lane. Tell them "Jesus paid for them"
- Leave enough money with the barrista to buy the next customer one speciality drink
- Carry in groceries for your neighbor
- Offer to walk a dog
- Offer free babysitting to a harried, frustrated Mom
- Make something for someone else, either a meal, cake, or a craft
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