Daddy's and The Dance

I was sucker-punched tonight. I agreed to take my 9 year old daughter, Samantha, to the Chloe Shiver benefit Father/Daughter Dance.

We started getting ready two weeks ago...

"Daddy, how do you like my hair?...."

"Daddy, what color looks best on me?..."

"Daddy,....."

"Daddy,....."

"Daddy,....."

I have come to the foregone conclusion: I LOVE hearing her say my name.

We danced. We laughed (Hard!). We went nuts to Footloose! We did the Train. Then we capped the night off with a treat - Krystals @ 9:30 pm. Nothing better.

While we were enjoying the beauty of buttered buns, we talked. One on one. About nothing. About something. But the most important thing we did that night was done over the table of the local Squat/Gobble and Choke/Puke....we talked. We connected.

We made a second covenant, too. I figure after 9 years of her life, I can afford to require ONE more absolute in her life.

The first Covenant came when she was three years old: "I promise to always be your little girl."

The second Covenant came tonight: "Even when we may be mad at each other; we'll always talk."

Doesn't sound like much. But to me, it's huge. She is going to make decisions in her life these next few years that I am NOT going to like (I'm assuming, here.) I'm sure I will make some decisions that she won't like, either. Bottom line: like them or not, we always talk about them. We don't run away. We don't hide. We don't assume they'll go away if we don't address them.

It's called Two Way Communication. It requires talking...and listening.

I am lost in the symbolism of the whole deal. God and I made a covenant together 11 years ago: "I promised to always be his adopted son, thru Jesus Christ."

I just got off of my knees and recommitted myself in this one: "Even when we're disappointed with each other; we'll always talk about it." I won't run away and pout. I won't hide. I won't threaten to stay home from Church if He doesn't change His mind.

All that does is drive the wedge deeper. If I'm honest, even when I disagree with His decision, I'll never want there to be a wedge. I'm searching for unity.

To be one with the God of my life, Jesus Christ.

I think I even heard Him tell me that next time, He'll meet me @ Krystal.

Way over my head.

I'm struggling. I've had two of the most difficult days of my entire Ministerial Career.

I don't have the answers for someone who is hurting badly.
I can't convince them of God's Love for them.
I'm not getting thru to them about His Forgiveness.

His marriage is in mortal danger.
His family is at stake.
His life ... I don't even want to think about it.

God, I need your Direction. I need your Word to lead the way.

Snap, Crackle and Pop!

I'm sorry to be away for so long. I have yet to develop the discipline to BLOG. I'll work harder, I promise.



I'm in week two of my new membership @ Snap Fitness. A very nice and wonderful individual in my Church gave my wife and I a membership. It has been eventful to say the least. I've never been a member of a Gym, before. If first impressions last forever, Snap Fitness is in trouble. Why?



Well, first of all, I walked in and no said hello to me! They just kept doing "their thing" and not one person even acknowledged me. So what if it's a 24 hour gym and not one staff member is there when I"m working out @ Midnight every night.....



Then, I didn't know what to do! All these machines. No one person offered to show me how to operate them. I must admit, I was rather peeved when Grandma Moses sat beside on the Bicycle and started up and she didn't even over to explain anything. I felt very out of place.



To make it worse, when I left, no one said even a nice "Good-bye!" I thought to myself, "Good....bye!" See if I ever come back!



Then I went to my own Church Sunday.



Suddenly my heart went out to the "new people"



Did anyone say "hello"?

Did anyone sit with them to explain what the heck we do each week?

Did anyone make a big deal about them being there as they left?



Fortunately, I know the answer to these questions are Yes.



But are we doing enough?



Unfortunately, I know the answer to that one, too.....



Any ideas on how to do it better, I'll make time to listen.

Post Election Thoughts

I am disappointed after the election . . . but not for the reasons you may think. I readily admit that I voted for McCain/Palin. I believe they most closely – though not perfectly – represent my values and worldview. However, their defeat and President-Elect Obama's victory is not at the core of my disappointment. I am disappointed because apparently a good number of born again believers seem to me overly upset, even fatalistically so, at the outcome of the election. Like practical idolaters, they believe that somehow a politician (one likeminded to them) is the answer to our problems. They fail to recognize in the election and in the days ahead that God is sovereign and omnipotent.

Regardless of whether your candidate won or lost, the Bible gives us some clear teaching about how we are to move forward in light of this change in leadership in our country.

First, let's be respectful. We all need to recognize and remember that ALL human authority serves at the discretion of a sovereign God who ordains "the powers that be" and who guides both the head and heart of those in charge as well as the surrounding circumstances in which all leaders lead. (Romans 13:1-3; Proverbs 21:1) Because all leaders hold their position with God's permission, those in office should not be so vaulted as to think more highly of themselves than they ought, and others who oppose those in office should not think so lowly of them as to disrespect the sovereignty of God. Now, by respect, do I mean we should support everything they say and propose? By all means, no! But even in disagreement we can be respectful. Read the book of Daniel sometime and you can learn how to respectfully disagree with an authority figure and eventually win their favor.

Second, let's be prayerful. God's Word charges us with the responsibility to pray for our leaders, since they are responsible for our welfare, and our prayers for them are good and acceptable in God's eyes. (1 Timothy 2:1-3). Pray that our leaders will make decisions wise beyond their abilities and understanding. Pray that God will miraculously move in their hearts so that our lives can be peaceful, godly, and reverent, as He desires. If you are not willing to pray for your leaders, and pray in a positive frame of mind I might add, then you are disobedient to God.

Finally, let's be faithful. Jesus encourages us to "render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's and to God the things that are God's. (Mark 12:17) We owe our leaders prayer and respect. To do that is to be obedient to God and by doing so render to Him what is His. At the same time, should any leader ever demand we compromise the clear teaching of God's Word, then – and only then – do we have permission to disobey our leaders. And even in those cases we must disobey humbly and prayerfully.

You see, because the problems in our country are moral and not political, the solution is not ideology but theology. If more of us were as concerned about our personal holiness and integrity as we were about the supposed lack thereof in someone else, wouldn't the world be a better place? If we shared the gospel of Christ with the same urgency we campaigned for our candidate, wouldn't the world be a better place? If we believed the promises of God with the same confidence we believe the stump speech of our candidate, wouldn't the world be a better place?
If you think because Barack Obama won, that in four years (or even in eight) all of our problems will be solved, then you are placing your trust in the wrong man. Even if you believed that had McCain won all our problems would be solved, you would be woefully wrong. Our hope is in Jesus. Fellow Americans, trust God, live for Him, let your lights shine.

The One who leads me is not elected; He received His position by Divine Right.

The One in whom I trust rides neither a donkey nor an elephant. In fact, the Book tells me the next time I see Him, He will be riding a white horse.

Allow me to paraphrase Psalm 20:7:
Some trust in donkeys, some trust in elephants;
But we trust in the name of the Lord our God.

The Trio down to One

My kids left yesterday for the Dominican Republic...without their parents. My Mother, who has proven herself more than capable when raising children (I came out just fine, ya know) is with them. Elizabeth is wandering thru the house looking for her Big Sister and Brother.....

I am too.

God's Word says not to worry: Worry is about the future, concern is about the present. So, ok, let's just get this out of the way...I'm VERY concerned....heh heh. They are safe. They are having the time of their lives. Meeting Missionary kids from all over the world, wow, what an opportunity. They learning things they will never forget...

I am too.

My children are my lifeblood. My family is my breath. Jesus is my heart. Mix them together and you have Life. Jesus said in John 10:10 that He has a life planned for all of us that is beyond measure, above the norm and uncontainable. When my family is spread out, everything becomes just that...normal. I can't wait for them to come home. Life will be loud, messy, crazy and inconvenient. Just the way God made it to be for me. I am a father. That cannot change. I love my children no matter where they are in life.

And I have caught a glimpse of my Heavenly Father's heartbeat - when His children are far away from Home, He is always thinking about how to get us back.

I am too.

The Journey To The Center Of It All

I've started this blog to document my journey into and thru the Mission of God. Personally, I understand it that I am to Be the disciple that I was invited to be when Jesus saved me (Matthew 22). I also know that my Mission is to Build more disciples into the Kingdom by leading them into a relationship with Jesus Christ (Matthew 28). But I have complicated my Mission - and it has distracted me from my two primary objectives (see above). I'm so busy as a Pastor: visiting the elderly man with a broken leg - he can walk, just is too pampered; cranking out outlines so my secretary can do the Powerpoint; oh, and don't forget that the Children's Summer Camp has trashed the Youth Area and I have to smooth that out....I have come to the hard conclusion: The Church has blocked my accomplishing of my Mission! There are all good and necessary things to do - or are they? Can someone else do it? Sure. But they want the "Preacher". And I must confess, I like that they like me. But lately I have asked myself the hard question - "reTHINKing" it all - What do people really want from their Pastor? A social worker? A referee? A marriage counselor? What ever happened to the man who is supposed to lead them to a deeper and more meaningful relationship with Jesus?

I want to call and talk to my Pastor about it...but he's @ the hospital right now.