Amazing Grace

We entertained some friends and family over the Christmas holidays. A discussion arose about a Catholic Church service most of us had attended for a young boy who died in a car crash many years ago.

One friend mentioned that the hymn Amazing Grace had been played at that service and that it seemed kind of dark and dreary. Almost like a funeral dirge which was probably the intent.

I know my friend was raised as a Catholic and I am not sure of his current religious beliefs, if any. My only response was to recite the words I could recall to the song (see below) and state it seemed to me that it was about someone moving from the darkness to the light.

I am not sure that my friend understood the meaning of the song the way I do. I see life on earth as both good and bad but when we move into the light with Christ there is no more darkness, no more death. Christ gives us peace and hope and the excitement and anticipation of living forever with Him.

Currently, I see much anxiety and fear in my wife’s family as her older sister fights cancer. Hopefully if my wife and I live the way Christ calls us to both our friends and family will be able to see a little more of the light and hope that we do. And they will develop that personal relationship with Christ that assures they will have peace and hope and live in the light with Christ.

I can never ever repay Christ for giving up his life for me. What I can do is to live the way He calls, in a way that honors Him and encourage others to want to know Him the way many of us do.

All hail King Jesus!

Amazing Grace How sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind but now I see

Choose the Life - Transformation

In a book I am reading by Bill Hull, titled ‘Choose the Life’, he raises an interesting question in Chapter 1. His church was adding 83 new members and this is what he asked, ‘Why should we bring eighty-three new people into something that it is not working?’ Many who read this may not think this church wasn’t working.

Hull continues, “Where was the personal transformation (Italics added) after all the effort we put into weekend services, Bible studies, small groups, and outreach events?...We were not seeing people come to Christ in any significant number and people’s lives seemed to be the same. We were stuck in the same rut in which so many churches find themselves – religious activity without transformation. We were doing things right, but there was little movement from the Spirit”.

I know I have thought a lot about transformation and this is a topic that has been discussed at some leadership meetings that I have attended.

I have expressed my view, to staff members at our church that unless the discussion about transformation and what is required comes from the Senior Pastor then the Home Team Leaders and those who attend the church won’t see the need for transformation or know what to do to accomplish it.

Hull continues by stating that, ‘the solution to the general weakness in the affluent church in the West is spiritual depth’. Further he states that, ‘This need for depth must begin with the church’s leaders’.

Being a Dad

My wife traveled to New York City today to go bridal gown shopping with our daughter, Kate. The wedding is a little less than a year off and it has caused us to relive some old memories.

I remember being in the delivery room when she was born, laying her on my chest to help her sleep when she had colic, watching her come out of a scrum of older kids with the ball during a soccer match, watching her leave for her first formal dance, seeing her cry when we were ready to leave her at college which was over 6 hours away and watching her drive off with her boy friend to a new city and a career.

I would like to think I was a good Father but not everything I did would support that idea. There are some things I did which I wish I could take back.

For example:

When I tried to motivate Kate in high school to not watch so much TV I would say, ‘If all you do is watch TV the only thing you will get good at is watching TV.’ I wasn’t earning any points with that remark.

And there was the time when she was applying to colleges and I told her I didn’t think she would get accepted anywhere because she wasn’t motivated in high school. I think she was accepted at all 6 schools she applied to.

And then there were the times when she got so frustrated with me when I offered advice that she yelled at me and stomped up to her room and wouldn’t talk to me. The only way I could suggest things to her was to slide notes under her door with the caveat to use the idea if helpful and if not just to throw the note away and forget that I wrote it.

I wasn’t real happy with me when our kids were growing up and I didn’t want our kids to go through what I had to when I grew up. What I didn’t realize is that going through all the stuff I did was helping me to become the person God wanted me to be.

Hopefully Kate has more good memories than bad of me. I know I have many more good memories than bad of her.

Both of our kids are on their own and I really miss them. I am proud of both of them, I love each of them a great deal and I love who each of them has become.

I believe and pray that God is working in each of their lives to help them become who He wants each of them to be.

Do what God put in your heart to do.

Last night we saw Lincoln Brewster in concert at Life Church in Allentown, PA. They are a really good band.

Everything was great – the music, the venue, the people and my date (my wife).

Two messages were revealed to me last night.

· I need to spend more time doing things with my wife. The things we have been doing together for awhile have become ordinary. We spend time together and talk over meals, while in the car and watching TV but we have, or maybe I have, become complacent and too busy with other things. The previous Sunday night we went bowling and had a great time.

· I need to do what God put in my heart. Lincoln said he didn’t start to enjoy himself and feel that he was doing what God wanted him to do, until he started doing what God had put in his heart. And for him that is rock music. He did a guitar riff after only three weeks on the job at a church in California. This was not the type of music the church was used to but an elderly woman who told him to keep it up encouraged him.

Many times in life the things that will affect us or cause us to change are the little things. Take the time to listen for God trying to get through to you.

Our God is an awesome God!

Wash Whose Feet?

This wasn’t what Jesus said. This was a comment that someone made, at a meeting I attended, in response to my question about would we be willing to wash each other’s feet.

We are called to be disciples and to show love for each other. The question is how do we do that? When Jesus washed the Disciple’s feet he not only was serving them but he was showing them his love for them.

Many comments were made at this meeting about how hard it is to love people because of their behavior and their attitude.

In washing feet, personal hygiene was brought up. How would we deal with dirty feet, poorly manicured toe nails, other foot related issues and dirty water?

Wow. I don’t remember Jesus talking about any of those things. He sure saw people differently than we do. We see people with foot problems but Jesus sees people to love.

Are some or all of us incapable of washing other’s feet? Of showing them love?

Hey I can say thank you and smile at somebody when they are taking my money at the checkout counter. Isn’t that enough? Apparently not.

Other comments were made by people at the meeting who said they would gladly wash the feet of others. That it was an attitude. And some had washed feet previously.

What was explained was how the person who washed feet changed their attitude from being repulsed by dirty feet to realizing that Christ wants us to love and to serve others.

As a result of the change in attitude came better looking and better maintained feet which were easier to wash.

Was this coincidence? I prefer to believe that as we change our hearts to be more like Jesus and we become more willing to follow His teaching we see people differently.

And we begin to do things that we would not have previously done.

Respect

I knew a guy who was concerned that he wasn’t getting the appropriate amount of respect from his family. He was a rugged and tough-acting kind of guy who provided well for his family. One you wouldn’t expect to utter this type of need.

It went back to how his parents treated him. He had placed several layers of protection around himself as a result of that treatment. No physical or sexual abuse occurred but some perceived emotional stuff.

I don’t think his family was too concerned about his emotional needs. After all he was expected to be the leader and supposed to take care of their needs.

His view of respect was different from his family’s view.

Is respect in the eye of the beholder? I think so. Many men think if they overcome the obstacle, achieve the goal or accomplish the task they will be respected. Possibly by their peers but even that isn’t guaranteed.

Families see respect differently. It’s all about character. Keeping commitments, doing what you say you will do, encouraging, teaching, loving, being honest – just being there.

Are you doing the right things for your family? The things God wants you to do?

If you aren’t getting respect then look at yourself first. Don’t blame your family, friends or co-workers.

Did Jesus demand or expect respect as He led the disciples? Jesus wanted to please God, to honor and glorify Him.

What will it be for you? Here’s a hint: I don’t think God likes whiners!

My response to a blog post on Obedience.

I find that when I get all wrapped up in me I don't have time to get wrapped up in God. And I miss what He wants me to hear or know.

It takes effort for me to pray, to read the Bible and to obey God a lot of the time.

But when I do obey I feel closer to God and I know that He is there.

Who is telling you the truth?

My wife has been blogging for a short while and I believe she is very good at it. So when I told her that I had set up a blog she wanted to know the location.

After she read the first few entries she told me it was good. I thanked her because I appreciated the feedback as my wife has been writing and editing for some time.

I was somewhat skeptical, as I have many times told people something was good when I didn’t want to engage in a discussion or didn’t want to justify my position.

I didn’t ask my wife to review the blog with a critical eye or for the purpose of improving my writing. I was simply letting her know it existed.

If I had asked her for more constructive feedback she would have provided it. It’s her nature to be upfront about things. Plus we trust each other a great deal.

Is there someone in your life who will provide you with constructive feedback? Offer unbiased guidance? Hold you accountable? Tell you the truth? Encourage you when you doubt?

If there isn’t, you should find someone to do that. See Proverbs (12:15) The way of a fool seems right to him, but a wise man listens to advice. And Proverbs (19:20) Listen to advice and accept instruction, and in the end you will be wise

Modeling Life

We are always examples or models even though we may not want to be.

Jesus being the model we should follow.

I think our sharing exhibits more concern for others and we convey more wisdom if we are praying and reading the Bible.

And our modeling is more effective if we are serving God and not ourselves.

A simple formula but why is it so hard to follow?

What is it that is bothering me?

Almost as quickly as I thought of the first question I thought of another, ‘What’s bothering me?” But I realized almost immediately that there is a difference.

The question, ‘What is it that is bothering me?’ is looking for the exact thing or problem that is affecting me.

The other question, ‘What’s bothering me’, is more general in nature and allows me some wiggle room so I can avoid the answer if I choose.

So the dilemma occurs. Do I really want to find out what is bothering me or do I want to go through some exercise, as I have done in the past, and arrive at some generalities and overworked reasons why I get bothered by stuff and try to make myself look good.

How do I get there? Flip a coin, base it on how I feel or be honest. I believe being honest (the current popular phrase is, being authentic) is the best approach, even though it does ruffle some feathers occasionally, when I have to involve others.

I don’t think anyone else is involved in this one but me. As happens many times when I get to the root of the issue, I cause most, if not all, of my own problems.

How about you? What do you have to say for yourself? Or are you hoping you will feel better reading about my struggles and problems?

I’ve got some stress in my life which I believe is caused by issues at work revolving around deadlines and deliverables and my own expectations. Sounds good doesn’t it.

The answer I just gave is for the second question I asked. But now that I start to think about the answer using question 1, a different answer appears.

I am stressed because I’m not trusting God. When I start to take things on personally, like I alone have to or can solve everything, I forget about God and I get stressed.

There’s a pattern here that I then project onto others. Like when I hear something where I think God should be included, and He isn’t, I get more upset. And so it continues.

I asked God to use me and put me where He wants me and now I’m complaining because He is doing that and I’m getting stressed. The stress comes because I am not trusting Him.

When I ask Him to help me or to show me what to do He usually does. I need to remember Phillipians 4:13 – I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. It’s a matter of trust and belief.

Why don’t I trust Him? I let my humanness take over. Lord, forgive me and help me to do what you want.