Just a little More of Me

I trust in God. Not that I have to because I'm a pastor. It wasn't always that way, though. It's been a journey of little steps and hesitant gifts of the parts of my life. Today, I believe that God has almost all of me. O sure I've tried to give all of my life to God but so often I take part back for myself. It's my nature. And yours.

The journey of faith has been a wonderful one, but not easy. In fact, sometimes it has been painful (and sometimes still is). I've found trusting God can be difficult. I've wondered at times even if it was the best thing for me. I mean, would God disappoint me or make life more difficult? Would God embarrass me? Or would I be embarrassed because of my life of faith and trust?

Don't tell me you haven't thought of that! I think we all do to some extent. We worry about what others think of us, but even more, we worry about our lives. They are supposed to be in our control, right? To give up that control to an unseen God seems a bit crazy and none of us want to be seen as fools, right?

"I've thrown in my lot with you. You won't embarrass me will you? Or let my enemies get the best of me? Show me how you work, God; School me in your ways. Take me by the hand; Lead me down the path of truth. You are my Savior, aren't you?" (Psalm 25:3,4-5, The Message)

Truth is, I've been afraid of giving up control. Still am sometimes. But we don't have to be. I've discovered God ready to show up when we ask, ready to work when we place ourselves in His hands, ready to direct our lives if we turn over the controls to Him. He always knows what's best for us, even if those around us think we are nuts. I've decided (and most of the time still claim this.) that I'm okay with that. God has never embarrassed me. I have, but God hasn't. God has shown His trustworthiness to me every time I give back the pieces of my life.

In fact, it's we who can't be trusted!

"Use all your skill to put me together; I wait to see your finished product." (Ps. 25:21)

Don't be afraid. Give a little more and see what happens.

Peace ><>
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You Look Like a Milllion Canaries!

I talked with someone recently who didn't see themselves with much value. In fact they told me that their mother hated them from the time they were born. Now many decades later, that belief still dictates their self-worth. It's amazing to think that a parent can have this much power over a child even years later. Yet it's true. What we say and do towards our children can either build them up or can destroy their worth.

I've learned that there is a fine line between humility and low self-esteem. I've know many humble people and also many who appear to be humble but have no self-worth. They think very little of themselves. Maybe it's because they were raised in a large family and felt forgotten or unwanted. Maybe they had circumstances in their lives that made them feel unloved or abandoned. Truth is, there are too many people who don't believe that they have any worth to anyone!

"What's the price of a pet canary? Some loose change, right? And God cares what happens to it even more than you do. He pays even greater attention to you, down to the last detail - even numbering the hairs on your head! So don't be intimidated by all this bully talk. You're worth more than a million canaries." (Matthew 10:29-31, The Message)

To God we have infinite value, and I mean all of us! We have value not because someone on this earth thinks so (and it's true whether you believe it or not that there is at least one person on this earth who thinks a lot of you!) but because God thinks so. It's God who created you, the unique you. After you were created, God broke the mold. There will be no other exactly like you. You have worth because you were imagined and hand-created by the Creator!

So are our children.

They may look like us. They may have our characteristics, develop our character and habits, but they were created by God. And one of our jobs as parents, grandparents, mentors, spiritual family members is to help these children grow up with a healthy self-worth. We must help them know that they are loved by us and by God. Everyone is, including you! And who doesn't like to hear that they are loved and worthy?

By the way, you look like a million canaries!

Because you are worth it!

Tell someone that today!

Peace ><>
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The Goal

Discipline isn't something we like. Yet it is something we need. And I've been thinking a lot about discipline and discovered that we all have discipline already, just not the measure or kind we may need.

I know that I'm disciplined at reading the paper and reading my bible in the mornings. I'm fairly disciplined at writing in this blog every day (weekdays mostly, as the weekends bring a whole new schedule for me.). I am disciplined at coming home at night, sitting down to watch a little tv news and then the opening part of Letterman. I am also disciplined in how I respond and react to situations. I have a discipline, it's just not the way I want it to be.

Maybe the better term is routine. these are a part of my routines, but I am not disciplined enough yet to do the things I want to do, or want to accomplish, and I definitely don't respond in the ways I want to respond at times.

Psalm 22 reveals a process of disciplined response to adversity, while Psalm 23 is the ideal. While I find comfort in the 23rd Psalm, I also realize that I react and respond much more like the 22nd! If you haven't read them today, check it out.

Here's an outline: Adversity happens, whine to God, "Why me?" (a 21 verse complaint how God is not rescuing him!) But then the turn around happens, that he will worship God anyway. Learned that praise is better than moaning and that God's work is good news. And this makes all of the adversity liveable.

I'm like that. Complain then praise. I've not reached the level of the 23rd Psalmist. But I want to.

That takes a disciplined approach to life, to adversity, to faith. I have a routine that I am trying to change. I need discipline.

You probably do to!

(seeking) Peace ><>
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Become What You Believe

Last night we sat and silently watched the film, United 93. It was a sobering reminder of the events of September 11, 2001. It captured the confusion, the horror, the faith, the courage of all the people involved on that day. Even as sad as it concluded, with the crash of that United flight, it also revealed something quite amazing, the beauty of people working selflessly for one another and for those they might be helping.

That's right. Those brave people aboard that flight, understanding what had taken place in New York and in Washington, D.C., decided to act, not to save themselves, but to keep another tragedy from happening. They put themselves aside to save others on the ground, people they didn't even know.

I'd love to say that they were all Christians who worked together to make this happen. They weren't. It would also make a great story to say that these were all Americans who did this. They weren't. They were simply people who understood the simple ways of life and many without knowing it, understood the simple ways of God.

Jesus taught this way and lived it, too. Not always thumbing his nose at his own religious background, but definitely doing so to the religious leaders who have missed the point. Being human and humane are more important than being religious. The ways of God, and revealed by Jesus teaching and action, are simply to honor God by living generously with each other, making friends of enemies, showing compassion even to those who don't deserve it, loving when loving doesn't make sense.

After the film, Peg and I were starting to watch the news of the day when a commercial came on for an insurance company. It showed everyday people witnessing kindnesses between strangers inspiring them to do the same. Then as they acted, another witness was inspired for action of their own and the chain of events continued. It was inspiring in itself. It could have been a Church commercial. It's what Jesus taught, "do for others as you would have them do for you." (Matthew 7:12, my translation)

What is a Christian supposed to be? Jesus asked a couple of blind men if they believed he could heal them. When they answered, "Yes!" he told them to "Become what you believe." (Matthew 8:29, The Message) Not just to become seers, but to become the people of faith they thought possible.

We need to become the people of faith we believe is possible, even is necessary...


...by acting in love toward others we might not even know.

Peace ><>
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Remember...

God answer you on the day you crash, The name God-of-Jacob put you out of harm’s reach,

Send reinforcements from Holy Hill,

Dispatch from Zion fresh supplies,

Exclaim over your offerings,

Celebrate your sacrifices,

Give you what your heart desires,

Accomplish your plans.

When you win, we plan to raise the roof

and lead the parade with our banners.

May all your wishes come true!

That clinches it—help’s coming,

an answer’s on the way,

everything’s going to work out.

See those people polishing their chariots,

and those others grooming their horses?

But we’re making garlands for God our God.

The chariots will rust,

those horses pull up lame—

and we’ll be on our feet, standing tall.

Make the king a winner, God;

the day we call, give us your answer.

Psalm 20, The Message


May we remember this day not as a day to reclaim revenge or to bolster hate, but as a day when the hate of those who call us enemies brought out in us the best of love and grace.

And that while the threat of terrorism still looms large before us every day around the world, we have to remember that what they fear is not the power and prosperity of the Western world, rather its generosity, its freedom, its peace.

Remember...

Peace ><>
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Discipline is Key

No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. Hebrews 12:11

The word “discipline” inevitably raises opinions, questions and general confusion among parents across the board. We know that children need discipline, but we have a sense of uncertainty that is rooted in a misunderstanding of what exactly discipline is. The goal of discipline, set forth in the Bible, is to mold and shape our children according to their unique talents and abilities in order to maximize the nature and character of God. And to successfully raise our children with godly discipline we must be consistent.

Remember, God disciplines us not to punish us but to improve us. The same is true for our children, and consistency is the key. Children beg for boundaries and lines. And they will push the limits in order to find those lines. But if your children don’t ever see the lines, if they don’t learn that there are consequences for misbehaving, they will continue to jump over the edge and ledge of what is acceptable. Too many parents draw lines in the sand only to erase them when they are challenged. What was acceptable yesterday is not today. Don’t do that. Instead, set limits in your household and stick consistently to them. Because then you will produce a "harvest of righteousness and peace" that your children can rely on throughout their lives.

Peace ><>
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