Greetings in the joy and grace of our Lord!
I pray that you are all having a wonderful summer so far. My family is getting ready to go on vacation this week, so this is my last post for the month. I will be back at it again when I return to the office on July 6th.
As we get ready for our vacation, I am coming to realize that I need a vacation from the work that it takes to get out of town for a little while. I try to get ahead in my work at the church so that I don't have too much waiting for me upon my return. Mandy likes to make sure the house is really clean for our housesitter and so that we have a clean house when we get back. I need to make sure that the car is in good working order, that certain bills are paid before we leave, that our itinerary is set, and that we are able to pack "light" for our trip.
There is so much work to be done, I am taking a couple days off before we leave to try to accomplish everything and to try to unwind before I leave for vacation. Whether that is realistic or not, time will tell, but that is the plan.
It is amazing the preparations we need to make for the journeys we take. As I spend the next couple of days getting ready to leave for a week, the thought crosses my mind, "Am I this intentional with my spiritual journey?" "Do I put as much thought into being sure that I am prepared for my daily walk with God?"
Preparation is important to a vital Christian life. We are encouraged in 1 Peter 3:15 to "always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope you have." Like a good athlete or musician, if I am not practicing the basics of my faith, then I am not preparing myself for those times when my faith will be challenged and those times when others may ask where my faith is grounded.
If I am not praying, reading my Bible, going to church, being involved in worship and outreach, and giving myself fully to God, I will find that I am not adequately prepared for the detours, u-turns, and dead ends that creep into my life. When those obstacles get in my way I quickly become discouraged and it is hard to make my way out of the maze I find myself in.
However, when I make the conscious effort to actively engage God and His activity in my life, when I commit myself to practicing my faith and staying in love with God, I find that when those obstacles get in my way, I am prepared and I have the ability to overcome and find my way back to the One who is always willing to guide and lead me on my life journey. Besides that, I feel better equipped to share in whom my faith is grounded and in whom my hope is found - because I have a daily experience with Jesus in my life.
While I need to be prepared for my vacation, more importantly I need to be prepared for the most important journey of my life - my spiritual journey! What preparations do you need to make?
God of Life, You are my guide and my helper. Thank you for Your Son is the cornerstone of my faith. Thank you for walking with me and preparing me for the challenges that life brings. Reveal to me the areas of my life that are not fully grounded in Your grace. Destroy the obstacles that keep me from living my life with You and prepare within me a heart that is grounded in You. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Take Care & God Bless,
Pastor Don
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Unashamed
Blessings to you and yours on this beautiful day!
In just a few hours I will be leaving for Annual Conference and gathering with about900 clergy and lay people from Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming to share in our unity as United Methodist Christians, but to also discern the future path of the Church. As many of you know, I am not a "political" person and I do not enjoy the political nature that these conferences tend to possess. I do enjoy seeing colleagues I have developed friendships with and I do enjoy doing work that I feel is helping to build the Kingdom of God. I often get lost in the discussion of the issues and become quickly frustrated with how complex we have made our faith. But, even in the midst of all of this, I know that God is moving and leading. My prayer is that we, as a unified body of United Methodists, will hear that call and be bold witnesses to the faith we possess.
With that said, I was reminded of The Fellowship of the Unashamed poem that was in an email devotional I receive from my friend, Pat Castle. As I go to Annual Conference this year, this is my prayer for myself and for all of those who gather in Denver over the next four days.
"The decision has been made. I have stepped over the line. I won't look back, let up, slow down, back away or be still. My past is redeemed, my present makes sense, and my future is in God's hands. I am finished and done with low living, sight walking, small planning, the bare minimum, smooth knees, colorless dreams, tamed visions, mundane talking, frivolous living, selfish giving, and dwarfed goals. I no longer need preeminence, prosperity, position, promotions, applause, or popularity. I don't have to be right, first, the best, recognized, praised, regarded, or rewarded. I now live by faith. I lean on Christ's presence. I love with patience, live by prayer, and labor with the power of God's grace. My face is set. My gait is fast, my goal is heaven. My road is narrow, my way is rough, my companions are few, my Guide is reliable, and my mission is clear. I cannot be bought, compromised, detoured, lured away, turned back, deluded, or delayed. I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of adversity, negotiate at the table of the enemy, ponder at the pool of popularity, or meander in the maze of mediocrity. I won't give up, shut up, let up or slow up until I have stayed up, stored up, prayed up, paid up, and spoken up for the cause of Christ. I am a disciple of Jesus. I must go till He comes, give until I drop, speak out until all know, and work until He stops me. And when He returns for His own, He will have no difficulty recognizing me." (author unknown)
Powerful and Almighty God, by Your Spirit and Truth, I have the power to make a difference in this world for You. Give me Your words and Your heart as I journey the roads this world offers. Remove from me any compromising Spirit that takes me away from You and create within me a heart that is rooted in the foundation of Your great love. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Take Care & God Bless,
Pastor Don
In just a few hours I will be leaving for Annual Conference and gathering with about900 clergy and lay people from Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming to share in our unity as United Methodist Christians, but to also discern the future path of the Church. As many of you know, I am not a "political" person and I do not enjoy the political nature that these conferences tend to possess. I do enjoy seeing colleagues I have developed friendships with and I do enjoy doing work that I feel is helping to build the Kingdom of God. I often get lost in the discussion of the issues and become quickly frustrated with how complex we have made our faith. But, even in the midst of all of this, I know that God is moving and leading. My prayer is that we, as a unified body of United Methodists, will hear that call and be bold witnesses to the faith we possess.
With that said, I was reminded of The Fellowship of the Unashamed poem that was in an email devotional I receive from my friend, Pat Castle. As I go to Annual Conference this year, this is my prayer for myself and for all of those who gather in Denver over the next four days.
"The decision has been made. I have stepped over the line. I won't look back, let up, slow down, back away or be still. My past is redeemed, my present makes sense, and my future is in God's hands. I am finished and done with low living, sight walking, small planning, the bare minimum, smooth knees, colorless dreams, tamed visions, mundane talking, frivolous living, selfish giving, and dwarfed goals. I no longer need preeminence, prosperity, position, promotions, applause, or popularity. I don't have to be right, first, the best, recognized, praised, regarded, or rewarded. I now live by faith. I lean on Christ's presence. I love with patience, live by prayer, and labor with the power of God's grace. My face is set. My gait is fast, my goal is heaven. My road is narrow, my way is rough, my companions are few, my Guide is reliable, and my mission is clear. I cannot be bought, compromised, detoured, lured away, turned back, deluded, or delayed. I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of adversity, negotiate at the table of the enemy, ponder at the pool of popularity, or meander in the maze of mediocrity. I won't give up, shut up, let up or slow up until I have stayed up, stored up, prayed up, paid up, and spoken up for the cause of Christ. I am a disciple of Jesus. I must go till He comes, give until I drop, speak out until all know, and work until He stops me. And when He returns for His own, He will have no difficulty recognizing me." (author unknown)
Powerful and Almighty God, by Your Spirit and Truth, I have the power to make a difference in this world for You. Give me Your words and Your heart as I journey the roads this world offers. Remove from me any compromising Spirit that takes me away from You and create within me a heart that is rooted in the foundation of Your great love. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Take Care & God Bless,
Pastor Don
Thursday, June 10, 2010
It's ON!
May you experience God's joyful presence in your life today!
Over the last couple of months we've had a visitor come and go at our house quite frequently. But now, it seems, this visitor is here to stay. About three months ago I was in our garage minding my own business when I was surprised to see and hear movement in the area by our trash can. Being the type of person that doesn't like surprises from unknown and unwanted varmints, I was startled and quickly went inside without any further investigation. Call me a sissy all you want, but visions of Caddyshack come to my mind and I'd rather not put myself in the position of removing an animal from my face!
I could have sworn the animal was only there for the night and by the sound it was making I had envisioned it to be a large animal. Come to find out, the culprit is a cute little mouse with a voracious appetite for dog food. Every now and then we would catch a glimpse of Speedy Gonzales as he scurried from one part of the garage to another. The other day I caught him back in the dog food and this time he was more bold as he paused for a moment, looked at me, as if to say, "catch me if you can!"
I had found some mousetraps that didn't require one to look at the dead mouse, but they never seemed to work. Finally, my wife got frustrated that her "man" lacked the necessary hunting skills that would take care of the problem. So, she decided to go to the store and get some real mousetraps. She loaded them up with everything a mouse could desire...and we waited.
The next morning I went out to the garage expecting to see a mouse, 1/2 dead, writhing in pain which would require me to finish the act (something I did NOT want to do). Instead, I saw the two mousetraps sitting there, trap ready to be sprung. Only this time all of the bait was gone! Speedy was at it again. I envisioned him running around our garage yelling, "Andale! Andale! Aribba! Aribba! I'm the fastest mouse in all of Colorado!"
The last three nights we have gone through the same routine. We put more bait out only to find that this rascally rodent (say that with an Elmer Fudd accent) steals the bait again...never springing the trap. Yesterday Mandy said to me as she made the discovery, "It's ON!"
While this story has yet to meet its final conclusion, I wonder if there is a faith lesson in all of this? As I think about my own faith journey I have a vision of how I want my life and my relationship with Jesus and my family, friends, etc. to be. I also know that when I take stock of my life and look in the mirror I notice the things I thought I offered to God have been snatched back up again. I also tend to notice that the things that brought me joy have been removed from my life - either by my own choices or situations that are beyond my control.
When I come to these times, I realize that I have often lost the boldness of faith in my life. When I come to this realization, there is a part of me that looks at those traps in my life and I say, "It's ON!"
"We are in a relentless, violent spiritual battle against an enemy who doesn't want us to fulfill our calling, either individually or corporately. The obstacles and opposition that come against us take numerous forms—frontal attacks against our faith, adverse circumstances in our lives, "friendly fire" from other Christians, subtle erosion of our understanding of truth, distractions from sensing God's presence, and more. Most Christians go through long seasons of feeling extreme pressure from life's trials. Our struggles can be intense. Whether we have been persecuted like Christians in a hostile culture or not, Peter's words to the persecuted still ring true for us." (adapted from A Walk Thru the Life of Peter: Growing Bold Faith)
The 1st and 2nd books of Peter offer us some wonderful words of encouragement, strength, and hope. They offer us warnings and caution against the lies and deceptions that can steal away our vibrant faith in Jesus and lead us down a path that takes us away from God. If you get a chance, read these two letters in the New Testament of your Bible. May the words inspire within you a boldness of faith and encouragment to continue in the way of God.
"A Christian focused on his or her true identity and on God's truth will be indestructible - maybe not as the world defines "indestructible," but certainly as God defines it. In a crisis, whatever form it takes, there's no truth more reassuring than that."
When we face the struggles and challenges of daily living, let's live with bold faith in Jesus Christ. Let's look at the world dead in the eye and say, "It's ON!" As we avoid those traps in life that try to keep us from our freedom in Christ, may we say with boldness, "Andale! Andale! Arriba! Arriba!, " meaning "Go on! Go on! Up! Up!"
Faithful, Almighty, God, give me strength when I am weak. Instill deep within me a bold spirit that is able to look the struggles and challenges of life in the eye and keep moving forward. Give me a faith that doesn't back down, but always looks up! Give me a spirit of strength and not of fear. Help me endure and never give up! In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Take Care & God Bless,
Pastor Don
Over the last couple of months we've had a visitor come and go at our house quite frequently. But now, it seems, this visitor is here to stay. About three months ago I was in our garage minding my own business when I was surprised to see and hear movement in the area by our trash can. Being the type of person that doesn't like surprises from unknown and unwanted varmints, I was startled and quickly went inside without any further investigation. Call me a sissy all you want, but visions of Caddyshack come to my mind and I'd rather not put myself in the position of removing an animal from my face!
I could have sworn the animal was only there for the night and by the sound it was making I had envisioned it to be a large animal. Come to find out, the culprit is a cute little mouse with a voracious appetite for dog food. Every now and then we would catch a glimpse of Speedy Gonzales as he scurried from one part of the garage to another. The other day I caught him back in the dog food and this time he was more bold as he paused for a moment, looked at me, as if to say, "catch me if you can!"
I had found some mousetraps that didn't require one to look at the dead mouse, but they never seemed to work. Finally, my wife got frustrated that her "man" lacked the necessary hunting skills that would take care of the problem. So, she decided to go to the store and get some real mousetraps. She loaded them up with everything a mouse could desire...and we waited.
The next morning I went out to the garage expecting to see a mouse, 1/2 dead, writhing in pain which would require me to finish the act (something I did NOT want to do). Instead, I saw the two mousetraps sitting there, trap ready to be sprung. Only this time all of the bait was gone! Speedy was at it again. I envisioned him running around our garage yelling, "Andale! Andale! Aribba! Aribba! I'm the fastest mouse in all of Colorado!"
The last three nights we have gone through the same routine. We put more bait out only to find that this rascally rodent (say that with an Elmer Fudd accent) steals the bait again...never springing the trap. Yesterday Mandy said to me as she made the discovery, "It's ON!"
While this story has yet to meet its final conclusion, I wonder if there is a faith lesson in all of this? As I think about my own faith journey I have a vision of how I want my life and my relationship with Jesus and my family, friends, etc. to be. I also know that when I take stock of my life and look in the mirror I notice the things I thought I offered to God have been snatched back up again. I also tend to notice that the things that brought me joy have been removed from my life - either by my own choices or situations that are beyond my control.
When I come to these times, I realize that I have often lost the boldness of faith in my life. When I come to this realization, there is a part of me that looks at those traps in my life and I say, "It's ON!"
"We are in a relentless, violent spiritual battle against an enemy who doesn't want us to fulfill our calling, either individually or corporately. The obstacles and opposition that come against us take numerous forms—frontal attacks against our faith, adverse circumstances in our lives, "friendly fire" from other Christians, subtle erosion of our understanding of truth, distractions from sensing God's presence, and more. Most Christians go through long seasons of feeling extreme pressure from life's trials. Our struggles can be intense. Whether we have been persecuted like Christians in a hostile culture or not, Peter's words to the persecuted still ring true for us." (adapted from A Walk Thru the Life of Peter: Growing Bold Faith)
The 1st and 2nd books of Peter offer us some wonderful words of encouragement, strength, and hope. They offer us warnings and caution against the lies and deceptions that can steal away our vibrant faith in Jesus and lead us down a path that takes us away from God. If you get a chance, read these two letters in the New Testament of your Bible. May the words inspire within you a boldness of faith and encouragment to continue in the way of God.
"A Christian focused on his or her true identity and on God's truth will be indestructible - maybe not as the world defines "indestructible," but certainly as God defines it. In a crisis, whatever form it takes, there's no truth more reassuring than that."
When we face the struggles and challenges of daily living, let's live with bold faith in Jesus Christ. Let's look at the world dead in the eye and say, "It's ON!" As we avoid those traps in life that try to keep us from our freedom in Christ, may we say with boldness, "Andale! Andale! Arriba! Arriba!, " meaning "Go on! Go on! Up! Up!"
Faithful, Almighty, God, give me strength when I am weak. Instill deep within me a bold spirit that is able to look the struggles and challenges of life in the eye and keep moving forward. Give me a faith that doesn't back down, but always looks up! Give me a spirit of strength and not of fear. Help me endure and never give up! In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Take Care & God Bless,
Pastor Don
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Images of Life
Hello!
May God's peace surround you and bring strength to your soul this week!
I wanted to share an experience with all of you that I had this evening with my son, Ethan. We gathered at Merlino's Belvedere for the McKinley Elementary 5th grade graduation dinner. It was a wonderful event that truly honored the kids and their growth into budding teenagers. The meal was good, as well as the fellowship. Parents watched as the children got awards and were presented with certificates of their completion of their elementary education. The Student Council thanked their teachers and gave their gift to the school. All of these events during the evening were nice, but none prepared me for the thoughts that would flood my mind as the kids were presented with their 20 minute slide show.
As I watched the pictures flash in and out on the screen, my mind went back to when many of these kids were in 1st grade (when we came to Canon). It wasn't only my own son that I had watched grow up, it was everyone else's child as well. I've watched as the bonds between these kids got stronger. I remembered birthday parties, baseball games, pool parties, field days, and holiday parties in the classroom. I remembered how some would come up and give me hugs, whereas now they give a quick wave, a quirky smile, and some knucks if I'm lucky.
I was reminded of how quickly the time flies. I've always known that our kids grow up fast, but tonight was a searing reminder of just how fast that time slips through our fingers. I remember when Ethan was born I wrote an article in our church newsletter giving him back to God - knowing that I am blessed to have Ethan as my son as long as God allows. I remember thinking, and still do, that my kids are safest in the arms of their Creator than they will ever be in mine. I remember thinking that I didn't want to take the gift of who they are for granted. Yet, over time, I did. Until tonight.
So the pictures flashed and I caught glimpses of my son with his friends. I heard them all laughing when pictures came on the screen (they all sat together) and I thanked God that He blessed Ethan with such a wonderful class of young people. I prayed for them as the images danced across the screen. I know that Middle School is coming and I know the challenges they will face. I prayed that this night may be a night that they remember the innocence and joy of life as it should be. I prayed that the bonds they have made over the last 5 years may be strengthened, even through the changes that life will bring. I prayed that their future teachers would be as invested in their lives as the teachers they have been blessed with at McKinley - ones who not only cared about their education but also about developing their character as one of the kids said tonight.
Yes, my son is growing up and life will bring some new experiences. There will be other pictures to be taken, experiences to be had, and stories to be told. I pray that when he looks back on his life - the images that come to his mind will bring a smile to his face and remind him that God has had him in the palm of His hand the entire time.
Almighty God, thank you for the time I have on this earth with those I love. Thank you for the gift they are to me. Forgive me for taking them for granted. Be with those I love and continue to faithfully walk by their side. May Your joy be complete in them and may they know the fullness of Your presence in their lives. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
May God's peace surround you and bring strength to your soul this week!
I wanted to share an experience with all of you that I had this evening with my son, Ethan. We gathered at Merlino's Belvedere for the McKinley Elementary 5th grade graduation dinner. It was a wonderful event that truly honored the kids and their growth into budding teenagers. The meal was good, as well as the fellowship. Parents watched as the children got awards and were presented with certificates of their completion of their elementary education. The Student Council thanked their teachers and gave their gift to the school. All of these events during the evening were nice, but none prepared me for the thoughts that would flood my mind as the kids were presented with their 20 minute slide show.
As I watched the pictures flash in and out on the screen, my mind went back to when many of these kids were in 1st grade (when we came to Canon). It wasn't only my own son that I had watched grow up, it was everyone else's child as well. I've watched as the bonds between these kids got stronger. I remembered birthday parties, baseball games, pool parties, field days, and holiday parties in the classroom. I remembered how some would come up and give me hugs, whereas now they give a quick wave, a quirky smile, and some knucks if I'm lucky.
I was reminded of how quickly the time flies. I've always known that our kids grow up fast, but tonight was a searing reminder of just how fast that time slips through our fingers. I remember when Ethan was born I wrote an article in our church newsletter giving him back to God - knowing that I am blessed to have Ethan as my son as long as God allows. I remember thinking, and still do, that my kids are safest in the arms of their Creator than they will ever be in mine. I remember thinking that I didn't want to take the gift of who they are for granted. Yet, over time, I did. Until tonight.
So the pictures flashed and I caught glimpses of my son with his friends. I heard them all laughing when pictures came on the screen (they all sat together) and I thanked God that He blessed Ethan with such a wonderful class of young people. I prayed for them as the images danced across the screen. I know that Middle School is coming and I know the challenges they will face. I prayed that this night may be a night that they remember the innocence and joy of life as it should be. I prayed that the bonds they have made over the last 5 years may be strengthened, even through the changes that life will bring. I prayed that their future teachers would be as invested in their lives as the teachers they have been blessed with at McKinley - ones who not only cared about their education but also about developing their character as one of the kids said tonight.
Yes, my son is growing up and life will bring some new experiences. There will be other pictures to be taken, experiences to be had, and stories to be told. I pray that when he looks back on his life - the images that come to his mind will bring a smile to his face and remind him that God has had him in the palm of His hand the entire time.
Almighty God, thank you for the time I have on this earth with those I love. Thank you for the gift they are to me. Forgive me for taking them for granted. Be with those I love and continue to faithfully walk by their side. May Your joy be complete in them and may they know the fullness of Your presence in their lives. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)