Ordinary Time: Tuesday, January 26, 2010

I wanted to pass along something I received today as a devotional. Many of you may be like me and have read the Upper Room at some point every day for almost all your life. Being the geek that I am, I have the daily Upper Room Devotional emailed to me each day. I thought todays was really, really good and I really spoke to me. So, I wanted to pass this along to you and pray that it's a blessing to you as it has been to me

You can get this devotional mailed to you each day by clicking here

Andy

Fruits of the Compost Heap


Suggested Bible Reading

For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to throw away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to throw away; a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace.

What gain have the workers from their toil? I have seen the business that God has given to everyone to be busy with. He has made everything suitable for its time; moreover he has put a sense of past and future into their minds, yet they cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end. I know that there is nothing better for them than to be happy and enjoy themselves as long as they live; moreover, it is God's gift that all should eat and drink and take pleasure in all their toil. I know that whatever God does endures forever; nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it; God has done this, so that all should stand in awe before him.

-Ecclesiastes 3:1-14 (NRSV)


Today's Scripture

[God] has made everything beautiful in its time.
-Ecclesiastes 3:11 (NIV)


I keep a compost pile and love to put things into it to ferment into clean, healthy soil. I put in vegetable scraps, old leaves, grass clippings, and even paper. Every few weeks, I stir the pile to make sure that all the content is turned over. When the heap is dry, I water it. Other than that, I do nothing but let natural bacteria do their job. After a few months, I find that my "garbage" has turned into rich, fresh soil for my garden.


Often something similar happens in my life. I have felt that things I did or did not do were wasted and fruitless. At times, I have been very hard on myself. But I realize that God is not as hard on me as I can be on myself. My great failures have been turned into something positive. God quietly works, and later, when I expect it least, I find wonderful new soil ready to nurture a new phase in my life. The rotten oranges and moldy leaves of my life -- my failures and shortcomings -- have been transformed, to give me a new perspective or stronger confidence.


We can always start again when we turn our will and life over to God and allow God's power to quietly work.

Sarah B. Joy (Indiana, USA)

Prayer
Heavenly Father, we are weak and vulnerable. Help us to accept your guiding strength in our lives; and when we fail, help us trust you to use even that to teach us how to serve you more faithfully. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Thought for the Day

God can use our failures to bring new growth.

A Year's End - a few thoughts

Today, for New Year's Eve, just a thought.

As we look back on 2009, a year that commentators seem to think was a little maddening for all of us, let us take time to remember the times of joy and happiness. No matter what this past year was like for you, there were moments of joy. Moments Moments of peace, life, and love. There were good moments.

Sometimes, we look only at the bad. We only see our failures. We only see where we messed up. We only look at the mistakes that we have made, we only see the things we have done wrong.

We can focus only on the stuff that has gone wrong, the ways we have failed, the ways that others have failed us. We can, if we are careful, be overwhelmed by the negative.

We only see the trials that have come our way.

We see the problems. It's just not just us. That's a universal thing. I remember when I worked with kids at camp during the summer years ago, they always told us, you have to say 7 positive things to a child to overcome 1 negative thing that is said. We remember the bad stuff more than the good.

So, as we move forward, first, let's make an effort to remember the good. Remember the moments of grace and joy. Remember the good stuff that's happened to you and your family in this past year. Moments of joy, laughter and peace. Remember these things. And mark them on your soul. Let them be part of who you are.

And, second, let us be glad that God doesn't first look to our mistakes. The Psalmist tells us in Psalm 103: 13-14

As a father has compassion for his children, so the Lord has compassion for those who fear him.

For he knows how we were made; he remembers that we are dust

We look at the mistakes first. We know we are not what we ought to be. Sometimes, we don't see ourselves the way that we ought to see. Particularly at the end of a year when we look back.
Thankfully, though, the Lord knows how we were made. He knows we are just dust. He knows that we are weak and frail. He knows we are not what we ought to be. He knows that we aren't perfect. And He loves us anyway.

As we look back, and as we look forward, may we look above. And may we know that we are loved.

Live like the loved child of God that you are!

Merry Christmas!

No blogging for a few days. I'll resume next Wednesday. Until then Merry Christmas. May God bless you in this Holy Time of year!

Ordinary Time: Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Today, just a quick thought. It's Veterans' Day, and also drawing close to Thanksgiving. Today, and each day, may we remember just how much we have to be thankful. Let us be thankful for "for heroes proved In liberating strife. Who more than self their country loved. And mercy more than life" May we be thankful for all that are serving our country and all those that have served our country. May we be thankful for all the goodness of life. May we realize how blessed we are.

He who can return thanks for little will always find he has enough.
--Unknown

Remembering

Today's devotional will be a little different. I just wanted to share a brief thought with you that I had yesterday. I had to drive to Jackson yesterday for a meeting and as I was driving back to Ripley I was just thinking about all that's going on in my own life, the life of my family, in the life of the church.

And the reality is it's not just me. It's each of us. Every one of us has something going on in our life that keeps us busy. Everyone one of us has something that keeps us worn out. Everyone one of us has something that worries us. Every one of us.

And as I was thinking about this yesterday, the Lord laid something on my heart; you are so stressed about all these things because you are carrying them all by yourself. Sometimes I forget that. I get so focused on what I can do or what I need to do that I forget that I'm not in this alone.

And I assume I'm not the only one.

Today, take time to share these burdens with God. Take time to share with Him you real concerns, your real hurts, your real needs. Take time to remember that you are not in this alone. That it's not just up to you. Take time to give it to God.

An Open Invitation to the People of the United Methodist Church

Bill McAlilly on his great blog Building Bridges posts this Open Letter to fellow United Methodists. It's a great letter and I wanted to share it on my blog:

If you believe that Jesus Christ is the center of our Faith and that all of life flows from life in him…

If you believe that what unites us in Jesus Christ is greater than any difference that may separate us…

If you believe that we as Christ-followers need to recapture the gift of Christian Conversation…

If you believe that the Holy Scripture is best understood in light of the life, teaching death and resurrection of Jesus…

If you believe that we are better together than we are apart…that our strength is in unity not in schism…

If you believe that resurrection is stronger than death, that hope is greater than fear…

If you are tired of the endless arguing about who is in and who is out, who’s acceptable and who’s not…

If you would like to have a conversation about what’s right with the United Methodist Church…

I invite you to a conversation about the matters of our hearts and the desires of our faith…

I invite you to a conversation where we discover those places of vitality and strength…

Listening Sessions and Town Halls

I've been thinking a lot about how if we are not careful, any listening session, any conversation, any time we gather together around any hot button issues in our connection can turn into of the town halls we are seeing right now across the nation. Or can turn into the cable news shows that reduce conversation to WWE style wrestling matches. We have lost the ability as a nation, and seemingly, as a church, to discuss things in a loving Christian manner. I was thinking about this is as I saw this story today.

Towns halls gone wild: After going on for several days now, who looks worse in this town-halls-gone-wild story? An Obama administration that promised a new era of American politics, but that isn't delivering on it? A Republican Party/conservative movement -- less than seven months removed from the White House -- stoking this anger and hoping it returns them to power? American citizens who can't treat their neighbors or elected officials with respect, even when they disagree? Or a media covering the story but also amplifying the exaggerations and outright lies being told at these town halls? Ah, the classic political story … nobody wins, we're all losers in these eyes of the true silent majority: the radical middle? To look at this debate through the prism of campaign politics, has anyone raised their POSITIVE ratings or simply succeeded in raising the NEGATIVE ratings of an opponent?

The ability for our country to have a constructive conversation is being lost, just like I see happening in the church. I think in the end, with all the yelling and angry talk, this radical center, this centrist view gets lost among the yelling and the entire Body is harmed. We've got to recapture the idea of Christian conversation. But I fear as I see the culture loosing this ability, the church may fall in line with culture, if we haven't already.

Two of my favorite disciples are Simeon the Zealot and Matthew (the tax collector). Zealots and tax collectors didn't get along. Zealots wanted to over throw the government and perhaps the only people they hated more than Rome were the tax collectors. And Matthew, was a tax collector. And both of these, these two that came from opposite sides of the street these two that had opposite opinions, opposite foundations, found unity in Christ.

Now we don't know what they may have talked about on those dark night when the rest of the 12 were asleep. Maybe they yell, maybe they argued. But, we do know they were united in mission and love of Christ.

Can't we as the church do that? Isn't that what we should be about? Isn't that who we are? We talk about being in the world, but not of the world. In the issue of our voices, if we are not careful, we are treading close to being of the world. And we are more than that.

My thoughts upon the current conflict following the 2009 Mississippi Annual Conference

I’m a geek. I’ve embraced it. It’s what I am, and I do not deny it.

So, being the geek that I am, one of my favorite movies is Star Wars: A New Hope. It’s the story of Luke Skywalker and the beginning of his journey to be the hope to an oppressed people. It’s a story of hope and it’s power; it’s story of a leader coming along that will lead the people who are fighting for what’s right on to victory.

Hope is a powerful thing. Leaders are powerful things.

And that’s what I have come to find out. This may sound like a very arrogant statement, but I think I’ve come to understand part of what can bring hope to our Annual Conference and to the United Methodist Church in general. And ironically, it’s not what I used to think that it was.

I’m not going to recount the ways that our Annual Conference and denomination have seen troubles in the past four decades. We’ve seen loss of membership, status in society, and influence in culture. We’ve seen our ability to spread scriptural holiness across the land decrease. It’s been a long time in the wilderness for us.

So, then the question is asked, what will be our way out of the wilderness? What or who will be our Moses? What will lead us to the promised land of new growth? Of building and strengthening the kingdom? Of relevance to our communities?

We must first, though, answer the big picture question of who are we? What do we do? How do we stop the decline within our Annual Conference and our Denomination? What do we do to go about doing great things for Jesus in our state and our world again?

It’s in the hard work of figuring out who we are that much conflict starts. It’s in the hard work of baring our soul; of reflection; of examination and conversation that conflict can arise. I think that is what has brought forth so much conflict in our Annual Conference the past few weeks.

Our conflict does not come out of an isolated incident. It does not come out of a witness given at an Annual Conference worship service. It does not come out of debates over constitutional amendments. This conflict comes as we examine who we are, and who we are called to be.

So, the question is posed, how do we move from here? How do we enable our church to grow now, and in the coming years?

One option is theological purity. If the Annual Conference, or everyone within the Annual Conference held the exact theology, or close to it, that I held to, then everything would be great.

In short, the problem with our church is those who have a different theology than we do. Regardless of what our theology is. It’s those that are not willing to take the same stand that we think is an essential stand. They are the problem within our Annual Conference. And, if we can outmaneuver them, or out vote them, or drag our Conference and denomination back to where we think we ought to be, then surly things will turn around we will grow.

That’s how I used to feel. That’s what I used to believe. I love my church. I love the United Methodist Church. It’s where I was baptized, confirmed and converted. It’s where I was called to ministry. Its theology is my theology; its polity is my polity.

I love my church.

And, for a time, I thought theological purity was the way to ensure that our church would grow and build the kingdom in our mist. I knew this was right. I felt like it was the way for relevance and the way to make sure that our church would grow.

I felt like if the right delegates were elected, the right votes were cast, the right speeches made, the right conversations had, then my theology would win, and our church would be restored.

And then something happened. I began to meet other pastors. Some of which were “conservative.” Some of which were “liberal.” Some of which were “moderate.” And all of them were doing great things for the kingdom in their midst. They were leading their congregations in exciting ways to be relevant within in the community. People were coming to a saving faith in Jesus Christ through their ministries.

Across the spectrum. Liberal to conservative. These persons “got it.” They were leaders. They we focused on the kingdom. They were focused on their community. They were focused on doing whatever they could do to help build the kingdom in their midst. And God was blessing them.

And I shifted my thinking. It’s not about “theological purity.” It’s not about maintaining the old and keeping things as they are. If that were so, why aren’t the other churches all around us exploding? Why is there a decline in the influence in relevence of the church, not just the United Methodist Church, here in out state and across the nation? Have ALL churches fallen away from correct theology and that is why the overall church is declining? Or could it be something else?

So, going back to my original Star Wars reference, that hope that we seek is found not in a theological purity test or in closed doors or in condescending words, but rather our hope is found in Christ and in understanding that we have been called by Christ to take His grace to all that are hurting and needful. And that grace is for all. As John Wesley said in his sermon “Free Grace,”

How freely does God love the world! While we were yet sinners, "Christ died for the ungodly." While we were "dead in our sin," God "spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all." And how freely with him does he "give us all things!" Verily, FREE GRACE is all in all!

The grace or love of God, whence cometh our salvation, is FREE IN ALL, and FREE FOR ALL.”

Grace, free, and for all. That is what John Wesley believed, taught, and preached. That is who we are as United Methodists.

It’s about being relevant. It’s about following where Jesus is leading; to the heart of the communities where we live. The issues we fight over have very little to do with what matters in our communities. They are means to divide us and keep us fussing with each other. They are things that keep our eyes off of Jesus and off the great things He wants to do here.

All the time and effort that we spend fighting amongst ourselves is time and effort that we are not using to build the kingdom. That’s what matters. That’s what is most important.

It comes down to relevance and to meeting the needs of communities, to heal the wounds of the places we live with the love and mercy of Christ.

It’s not theological purity that leads to relevance. It’s leadership that loves and cares for their communities and leads their churches to care for their communities. And when our passion for the Gospel and freeing power of Jesus Christ compels us to leave behind the walls of our churches and build relationships, friendships, and connections with our communities, the kingdom springs forth. We see lives, families and communities change. When we become more than the churches on the corner or churches down the road. When we become part of the community.

Now, theological purity is easier. Theological purity is a checklist that can be completed and checked. Relevance for the sake of Jesus, that’s hard. But, that’s what the Lord demands of us. This is hard work. But it’s necessary work

This is our way. This is our new hope. But it’s same hope that compelled Wesley. It’s our way back. Leaders that will help us embrace our communities and build the kingdom. In this, God does amazing things.

Lent: Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Today, just a quick thought:

God will be faithful to see you through your storm and time of difficulty. Don’t look down in discouragement, but look up to him, who has promised to stay with you even “through the valley of the shadow of death” (Psalm 23:4). Did the Lord begin this beautiful work of grace in your life only to let you fall into some black hole of hopelessness and despair? Never!
--Jim Cymbala

Dry Spells and Voices

I've been going through a dry spell recently. Been really busy. I was a play a month or so ago, and that took a lot time. Of course church always keeps you pretty busy. And responsibilities within our Annual Conference. Family. Etc, etc, etc.

We've all been there, haven't we? We've all had those moments in life where our souls just feel dry. Those times where we just don't hear. Don't see. Feel alone. I just have felt like my soul has been a little dry these past few weeks.

I've been watching the kids tonight. Holly is working late and I've just been hanging out with them. It's been fun. We've been to McDonald's and eaten more McNuggets than really anyone should eat. In a life time.

We've played. We've had fun.

As I watched the kids play in our small sandbox, I just started praying. God, I need to hear you now. I just need to hear your voice. I know you're there. I believe. I have faith. But, I need to hear. I need a drink of water. My soul dry.

And then I look at my kids. And I realized how lucky I am. How all I've been through in life, all the ways God has literally spared my life, all the ways He has given SO much more grace than I deserve, even at my best moment. And my life, like every one's is not a collection of my best moments. I guess that's why it's grace. We could never deserve it.

And it just hit me. God has shown His love to me every moment of life. Every instant I've been alive, God has poured out grace upon grace. And the reason my soul has been so dry is because I haven't taken time to water it.

Dr. Frank Pollard, former pastor of First Baptist Church, Jackson, MS may have been the greatest preacher I've ever heard. He used to say that prayer is the oxygen that feeds our souls. There is abundant oxygen for our souls. There is abundant water for our drought. There is amazing grace for this time.

We just have to allow God open our hearts. We have to allow Him to calm us, slow us, speak to us, and breathe in us. And fill us.

Today, the water is ready. The drought is over. Drink in. Nourish your soul. Life awaits.

Leadership

One of the things that I'm going to do @ my new blog address is do more personal thoughts and reflections.

Tonight, I've been thinking about leadership, particularly within the church. I just heard the story of preacher somewhere within the state of Mississippi that did something so incredibly stupid that it made my head hurt.

This action made me mad for a a couple of reasons. But, the main was because this person had been given a group of souls by the church, but more importantly, by God, that he was supposed to take care of. And for some reason that I don't understand, he didn't.

Why? Why do people do dumb things? Why do people not see the results of their actions? I don't know.

But, in truth we all do that. We all do dumb things. We all do not think through our actions. But, for most of us we have more common sense than the person I'm thinking about.

What does this have to do with leadership?At the core, I think leadership is about one thing. Trust. To lead Ripely FUMC, above all, my people have to trust me. They have to trust that God is leading me and that I'm listening to Him. They have to trust that I'm listening to them as well. That I value them. That I know God doesn't just speak to me, but to all of us.

And sometimes, in fact most of the time, it's not about what I teach others. It's about what they can teach me.

And maybe that's why this person did something terribly dumb. He thought He was the only source of wisdom. It was just him and God. And if the people didn't listen to him, then they weren't listening to God. He didn't trust them. And, because of that, they didn't trust him, and it all blew up.

Trust. It's hard to earn. It's easily lost. And without it, ministry, or any type of leadership is impossible. If we are going to lead, in whatever setting we are in, we have to earn the trust of others.

How? By valuing them. Loving them. Respecting them. Listening to them. Serving them. Know that we as the leader are not the only source of wisdom. Remembering that all wisdom come from God. And in that, they will trust. And we can lead.

Satan and Money

HT to Gavin, great, great, video. Think about all things that control us. And where life comes from.

Ash Wednesday: February 25, 2009

Today is Ash Wednesday. This is the first day of the season of Lent. Throughout this season, and particularly today, we stop.

And remember. Remember our need. Remember our sin. Remember that we are fallen, that we are bent. That we crooked. Remember that we are not we were created to be.

Something happened. The fall. We were created, and God said it was good. But then temptation entered. Temptation gave way to sin. Sin gave way to death. And the human race was left with a giant hole in our heart.

We try to fill it with success. Power. Money. Sex. All the trappings of this world. But, yet, we remain empty.

Because,while we are all bent, we are each all created with that need deep within us for relationship. With God, and with others.

Even when we are at our best, there is a part of us that knows we are not what we ought to be. There is a part that knows that we are needful and that we need God.

Even our worst, we know that the hole in our hearts desperately needs God's grace.

Today, we stop. We pause. We remember our great need. We are sinful. We are broken. We are like sheep without a shepherd.

And, we also remember that it not just me that is that way, or you, but each of us. It's not that I am sinful, of you are sinful, but we are each sinful. It's not that we are better than or worse than anyone. We are all equal.

We remember that we each need God. Today.

And we remember that each day, God turns His ear to our cry. And He hears.

Today, this Ash Wednesday, and all through Lent. Stop. Turn to God. And He will hear. And He will come.

Stop. Remember. Repent. Turn. And God will be there.

Thoughts on Mardi Gras

Today, just a thought on what today is. Today is Fat Tuesday, or as its known more commonly, Mardi Gras.  Today is the last day of celebration before the beginning of Lent, which starts tomorrow on Ash Wednesday. We'll talk more about Lent tomorrow. But, I will encourage you to be thinking today about what you might like to "give up" during Lent.  Its tradition to sacrifice something during lent to remember the sacrifice that Jesus endured for our sake on the cross.  Some give up sweets. Others, Coke.  Some that are really dedicated/crazy give up coffee. 

I'm not that strong. 

But, today is the last day of celebration before the fasting starts. That's where Mardi Gras comes from.  It actually has religious overtones.  

Part of life is enjoying life.  Living a joyous life.  A life full of grace.  I really think the world has enough stern, judgmental  Christians.  It has enough Christians ready to look down noses upon the frailty and mistakes of others. 

What the world needs today is more grace.  More mercy.  More compassion.  More hope.  More life. More love. 

So, today, celebrate.  Live with abandon. Grad this day by the horns and drag every ounce of life out of it.  Today, live.  Live fully.  Live in abundance. 

No matter if you stuck behind a desk, on the road, digging a ditch. 

LIVE.  

You have been given this day by God.  Make the most of it. 

Epiphany: Thursday, February 19, 2009

Today just a quick thought. I drove over for a conference in Alabama this morning. As I drove through the foothills of the App. Mountains I thought about the greatness of God. How He formed all that is and all that ever has been.

He has held the entire world in His hand, as the old kids song goes.

And He holds you in His right now. Whatever you are going through right now, God knows. God loves. God cares.

Whatever it is.

God is with us today.

He promised to be. May we trust Him now and always.

Being a Pastor vs. Being Son

I've had the chance the past few months to put on some different shoes. 

As a pastor I've very used to the hospital.  I've spent time visiting in Jackson, in Memphis, in Tupelo and in nearly every every major hospital in Mississippi. 

But, in past few months, I've had a different perspective.  My mom has had to undergo a couple of surgeries.  Nothing major, thankfully, but she's been in the hospital more the past few months than at any point in my life. 

And, mama is also 80.  I was raised by my grandparents (long story) and they are in great health. But, 80 is 80 and when she is put to sleep, I'll be honest if you don't start getting nervous.  

So, for the first in my life, I've come to the hospital in a different position.  Not as a patient.  Not as a pastor. But, as a son. 

I like being a pastor much, much better. 

Maybe it's just want I'm used to.  Now, there are advantages in being just a son. For instance, I didn't shave today. Also, I'm wearing blue jeans and my favorite Ole Miss pull over.  I forgot my hat at home, or I'd be wearing a hat too.  So, I'm pretty comfortable. 

And, there is that feeling about not worrying about others. When you are pastor, your concern is your church member. How are they?  Do they need anything?  Do you need to lift their spirits?  Pray?  Quote scripture?  

Today, I've watched part of the Cotton Bowl, read the paper, checked my email. Blogged (what I'm doing right now).  

I haven't had to worry about providing care to anyone.  

And, that's the problem.  As a pastor, I have something to do.  A job.  A purpose.  I can be helpful. 

As a son, I feel helpless.  Sure, I can pray like I always do.  I can stay busy.  I can do lots.  But, it's different.  

As a son, I wait.  I fret.  I worry.  I pace. 

As a pastor, I'm calm and relaxed. Confident.  

As a son.  I worry.  

I really do love what I am called to do and who I'm called to be.  And, I know as a son the things that I know as a pastor.  I know God is at work, God is here, God's grace is always there.  

But, I get so busy taking care of others that I don't have to worry about things myself. 

And, perhaps, it's not just preachers that do that. Perhaps we get so busy living life that we can forget to remember things we know. 

God is good. God is at work. God is here, even know. 

So, the pastor and son are not that different. And maybe, just maybe, we all have that same battle within us.  

And, maybe, just maybe, God understands, knows, and loves us anyway.  

Thoughts on UMC Bureaucracy

I love the United Methodist Church.  Born into it, baptized, confirmed, and converted within, now serving as an ordained elder.  I love our church, I love our theology. 

But, as the old saying goes, we kid because we love. 

I read this tweet from@amforbus on Twitter.  If you aren't familiar with Twitter check it out - www.twitter.com.  You can follow me, I'm @atstod.  Anyway, this was @amforbus' recent tweet: 

Methodists may sprinkle for baptisms, but we immerse when it comes to bureaucracy.

I think that is funny, true, and a little said. We Methodist were historically a flexible bunch.  In revival days when the Methodist church was the biggest in the nation (yes, there was  time when that happened!) we went to where the people were. We went, we preached, we ministered.  We knew that the people and message mattered most.  

Now, today, we know they matter. . . . . . but, you know. 

We have to do things the right way.  I was a conference recently and one of the speakers talked about how the surest way to crush innovation is to push innovation into a certain "way."  There is only one "way" to innovate.  Methodists do it one way, Baptists another, Catholics another.  Instead of focusing on the bigger mission, we focus on the means to provide the mission. And the mission must be provided in a certain way for it to be valid.  

And there in lies the rub.  Bureaucracy is not in itself bad.  Hierarchy is not in itself bad.  Structure is not bad. But, when these things stop being a means to end, and become the end, then we have a problem.  

An no matter the organization, be it a Church, Business, Club, whatever. When the means becomes the end, then things become backwards. 

So, in short, we must focus everything, bureaucracy, everything on achieving that end. And, by use any means necessary to achieve that end. 

And in doing that, we'll recover what it means to be mission minded.  Not institution minded.  

Insights for the Ages

The greatest book I've ever read has been Sis. Joan Chittister's commentary on The Rule of Benedict.  Many of you may already know this, but The Rule and her commentary can be found online in blog form @:http://www.rbinsights.blogspot.com/

I hope you find this as helpful to your soul as I have to mine.  

Playing Santa

Normally the main source of my blogging is a reflection on three Bible passages, or a quote that is uplifting.

Today, I want to do something a little different.

I want to tell you about something that happened last night. Last night Ripley First United Methodist Church was blessed to host the Foster Families' Christmas Dinner from Tippah and Benton County. Many folks worked tirelessly on the meal, all day yesterday and part of Monday. Teachers from Ripley Jr and Sr High organized volunteer students to help. Folks from around the county came to sing and entertain the families.

My job was to be the visitor from the North Pole, if you catch my drift.

So, I walked in and the children's face lit up. Even the older ones wanted their picture taken.

But there was one girl in particular that stuck we me. She must have been 4 or 5. Wore glasses, cute as a button. I noticed here when I walked in because she was standing in her chair, clapping.

When her name was called, she sprinted across the floor and threw her arms around me and hugged me. She gave me a kiss on the check and said "Santa I love you."

It's hard to say Merry Christmas when you are crying like I was. This girl just hugged me and did not want to let go. I hugged her back, and said "Santa loves you to sweetheart."

I don't know what this child has been through in her life, but I bet it's not been an easy one. She's in the Foster Family system, so I know she's had hard times. But, just the look of love in her eyes, the look of sheer, unadulterated joy in her eyes as seeing Santa could melt any heart.

I don't know how this relates to God, but I guess I can think of two ways. First, do something for someone in this time of year. Let's not get so focused on our own stuff, our own families, our own business that we rob ourselves of the true blessing of doing for others.

Second, when this young girl came to me with love in her eyes, all I wanted to do was let her know that Santa loved her. No matter what she had been through, Santa Clause loved her.

That has got to be how God feels about us. No matter what we've been through, no matter how much we've been beaten down. No matter how life has been for us.

God loves you. And He wants you to know that He loves you.

You Are Loved Today.

Ordinary Time: Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Today, just a quick thought.  

There was a quote I've read and I'm pretty sure it was by Max Lucado.  At least I give him credit for it when I quote it.  It says "The reason God hates sin so much is because of what it does to His children."  I've been thinking a lot about that quote recently.  My favorite verse in the Bible is John 10:10, "The thief comes to rob, to kill, and to destroy, but I have come that you may have life, and have it more abundantly."  

In both of these quotes you see the dueling voices that circle around each of us. We see the voice of good, of truth, of God that tells us what is correct. Tells us which way to life. Tells us how to live. 

And we see the voice of evil, of wrong, of the devil, promising us the same thing. Promising us life, and happiness and peace. But, in the end, that voice leads only to our destruction.  It leads only to the destruction of all that we want to be. 

And that is why God hates sin.  His will for us is not sadness and brokenheartedness.  His will for us is life and love and peace.  His will for us is that we are made whole.  That we know forgiveness and grace.  His will for us is that we have that abundant life. 

Today, two voices will come offering you abundant life.  Only one will lead to life. The other will lead to that which will destroy us. 

Today, may we choose life.