It started on Father’s Day when we decided to fry fish in my turkey fryer. So after church I’m set up and the oil was getting hot. I put the hush puppies in and got splashed with oil (of course). Just about the time they were getting golden brown and done the rain started.
You and I know hot oil and rain water do not mix without explosive results. So what do we do? Go inside or try to finish out side in the rain.
We got a large golf size umbrella and Elizabeth held it over the fryer and we cooked hush puppies, fries and fish. It was a juggling act to open the lid, hold the umbrella and dish out the cooked goodies but we got it “fixed.”
Tuesday I got to the office and the internet connection was not working. The power had gone off and on repeatedly through the night so there was bound to be trouble. I spent most of the day in the “in the closet (no one said “George come out of the closet”). In the end to find that one channel of one piece of equipment had gone bad. All else was fine but this one channel. Unusual, it certainly was. But a few changes and up and running once again. We got it “fixed.”
Thursday night while I was eating dinner the phone rang and my Father said a ceiling fan in their living room with the cathedral ceiling was “hanging by three wires.” I had a small group coming to the house in 20 minutes. So, we went to get a taller ladder and then over to their house. Turns out it had not broken just come loose and 5 minutes it was secure and locked down and running. By the way, when I got there it was hanging by “three wires.”
Don’t get me wrong I am glad to have the skills to correct these problems. However, sometimes I wonder if that is the way life is to be? Problems, problems, difficulty after difficulty, it just seems life should not be so hard. I want more mountain top experiences instead of the drain ones. But nothing grows on the mountain top.
The mountain top has these great wide expansive views but plants and trees do not grow on the highest peaks. Those peaks have snow, ice and if high enough little air but GREAT views. But you can’t stay there. You can’t live there. Growth occurs in the valley. The valley where there is water for drinking and flooding. Where there is fertile ground that produces food and weeds that need to be pulled. The valley has trees that provide shade and limbs that fall and must be cut. The valley is where the work is. The valley is where the problems are. Where things and people break and must be repaired. The valley is where the work of salvation is accomplished, where we are made whole and holy through the toughness of life. Jesus lived life that way and walks before us as we live life that way.
Salvation is God’s way of “fixing” us, making us whole and holy.
God is a “fix-it” man.
Funny, this week so am I.
Hey, I’m in good company!
Friday, June 25, 2010
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
I love living in a small community except on Wednesday!
It has a great many advantages. When you enter a store you know the people who work there by name and they know you. The folks who own it work it. That has a dark side as well but we won't go there.
I do support the buy local initiatives. Small business is the backbone or our nation and its' economy. However, today I hit one of the problems with a small town. It is Wednesday.
Wednesday is not the problem. The Wednesday tradition is the problem. Years ago businesses closed at noon on Wednesday, the bank, city offices almost everything. "That's the way it was," so Walter Cronkite would say. Today, Wednesday at 1pm I went to get my gas grill tank refilled to cook Sunday for my Dad (fried fish, hush puppies etc.) so I stopped at a local LP gas retailer and ran "smack dab" into tradition. The door was locked! After rubbing my nose (not really) I saw the hours of operation "Wednesday 8-12." Being the consumer I am i went to the other LP gas retailer in this town and this time did not run into tradition. I just went up to the door and there tradition was posted in the window.
Now I will go to the next community to get the tank refilled. It seems whenever I try to buy local I have to go to the next town to do it.
Is that local or long distance?
You tell me!
I do support the buy local initiatives. Small business is the backbone or our nation and its' economy. However, today I hit one of the problems with a small town. It is Wednesday.
Wednesday is not the problem. The Wednesday tradition is the problem. Years ago businesses closed at noon on Wednesday, the bank, city offices almost everything. "That's the way it was," so Walter Cronkite would say. Today, Wednesday at 1pm I went to get my gas grill tank refilled to cook Sunday for my Dad (fried fish, hush puppies etc.) so I stopped at a local LP gas retailer and ran "smack dab" into tradition. The door was locked! After rubbing my nose (not really) I saw the hours of operation "Wednesday 8-12." Being the consumer I am i went to the other LP gas retailer in this town and this time did not run into tradition. I just went up to the door and there tradition was posted in the window.
Now I will go to the next community to get the tank refilled. It seems whenever I try to buy local I have to go to the next town to do it.
Is that local or long distance?
You tell me!
All + In = Blessing
That was the title of my message last week. Math was just a theme. Jesus was all in and he asks us to be all in. But instead we like to play hokey-pokey.
You remember that song/game at the skating rink. You put your right foot in, you put your right foot out you put your right foot in and you shake it all about…I know you’re singing it right now (with a smile on your face). You just put your foot, hand, arm whatever over the line and you pull it right back out. That’s what it’s all about hokey-pokey right?
Playing hokey-pokey with Jesus is similar. It’s when we commit just a little bit but not all, only enough to meet the bare minimum or so we think. We commit enough to get the get-out-of-hell-free-card for that last day but not enough for us to be any different “why spoil the fun?” “I can have my cake and eat it too,” so we think. God’s blessing must equal his love so I’m O.K. right?
Wrong!
Hear me first God’s love is unconditional
Did you hear that?
God’s Love is unconditional!
However, God’s blessing is very conditional.
God’s blessings include if then statements. “If you love me (then) you will keep my commands” “Abram go to the place I will show you (then) I will… Do you see it? If…then. Jesus after restoring Peter and letting Peter know it responded to Peter’s question regarding John and his fate said, "If I want him to remain alive until I return, (then) what is that to you? You must follow me." John 21:22 NIV
“What is that to you?” What does it matter what I have in store for him? What matters is you must follow me. Have you been caught in the trap complaining about how someone else was not acting very Christ-like towards you or at you? How they did not do what was right? How someone else with more faith would have…something. How do you think Jesus would answer your complaint? How did He answer Peter’s complaint?
Hummmmmmm?
I think the conversation might go something like:
JESUS: “What are you doing about it? How have you acted like me? Have you been a servant? Have you turned the other cheek?”
ME/YOU: [with as much whine in your voice as possible] O.K. O.K. enough, enough, but why does it always have to be me?
JESUS: “That’s what it is to love your neighbor as yourself. You go first. I did.”
ME/YOU: “Oh yeah… that’s right.”
JESUS: “Are you all in?”
ME/YOU: “Absolutely Jesus amen.” [Fist pumping high in the air]
JESUS: “Really, it looks more like hokey-pokey to me?”
All + In = Blessing
You remember that song/game at the skating rink. You put your right foot in, you put your right foot out you put your right foot in and you shake it all about…I know you’re singing it right now (with a smile on your face). You just put your foot, hand, arm whatever over the line and you pull it right back out. That’s what it’s all about hokey-pokey right?
Playing hokey-pokey with Jesus is similar. It’s when we commit just a little bit but not all, only enough to meet the bare minimum or so we think. We commit enough to get the get-out-of-hell-free-card for that last day but not enough for us to be any different “why spoil the fun?” “I can have my cake and eat it too,” so we think. God’s blessing must equal his love so I’m O.K. right?
Wrong!
Hear me first God’s love is unconditional
Did you hear that?
God’s Love is unconditional!
However, God’s blessing is very conditional.
God’s blessings include if then statements. “If you love me (then) you will keep my commands” “Abram go to the place I will show you (then) I will… Do you see it? If…then. Jesus after restoring Peter and letting Peter know it responded to Peter’s question regarding John and his fate said, "If I want him to remain alive until I return, (then) what is that to you? You must follow me." John 21:22 NIV
“What is that to you?” What does it matter what I have in store for him? What matters is you must follow me. Have you been caught in the trap complaining about how someone else was not acting very Christ-like towards you or at you? How they did not do what was right? How someone else with more faith would have…something. How do you think Jesus would answer your complaint? How did He answer Peter’s complaint?
Hummmmmmm?
I think the conversation might go something like:
JESUS: “What are you doing about it? How have you acted like me? Have you been a servant? Have you turned the other cheek?”
ME/YOU: [with as much whine in your voice as possible] O.K. O.K. enough, enough, but why does it always have to be me?
JESUS: “That’s what it is to love your neighbor as yourself. You go first. I did.”
ME/YOU: “Oh yeah… that’s right.”
JESUS: “Are you all in?”
ME/YOU: “Absolutely Jesus amen.” [Fist pumping high in the air]
JESUS: “Really, it looks more like hokey-pokey to me?”
All + In = Blessing
Friday, June 11, 2010
An update of sorts......
We spent a week of vacation in south Mississippi, Ocean springs to be exact. We went there with the hopes of getting away, going to the beach, resting and relaxing. We did all of those things just not when we wanted.
After our arrival, the first few days it rained with thunder and lightning, no beach going but plenty of resting, relaxing naps and late wake-ups. That was good! We did go see a movie and a little shopping (ugh).
Finally, we decided to go to the beach anyway and we would leave when it started raining. That proved to be a good plan. It was sunny and clear for a while and then came the thunder clouds. We had made plans to visit a barrier island 12 miles off of the coast but were weary because of the weather. We went Monday to a hot, sunny day with good water and hot sand. There was no oil on the Mississippi beaches.
It is always interesting for our family to decide where to go to church. No church is like Crossroads (thank God), but where to go. Vacation time is the few times I get to see how other people worship. So, we headed off to one church about 30 minutes away. As we were getting to the highway we say some small yard signs for Mosaic Church. So we turned around to go find them. They meet in a skating rink with three weekend services. We were early but it was like home. Turns out the pastor is a lot like me (s my family said). I feel sorry for him. Check them out at http://www.mosaicgc.com/.
Then we came home back to the issues at hand. Crossroads has purchased a modular building 36X66 in size. The plan at the moment is to locate that on the Assembly property on honey ridge road. “Houston we have a problem” water. It seems as a church we are required to have a permit for a well and no permits are being issued south of HWY119. The other option is to connect to a community, city or county water system. That is a possibility with Guyton city but who knows what that will cost?
God knows.
Last night as our small group was talking and praying God reminded me that obstacles are opportunities. Obstacles of weather and plans and water and buildings are opportunities for God to be revealed. He reminded me that I had been viewing them as challenges not opportunities, the larger the obstacle the greater the opportunity for God to be God, the greater the opportunity for me to experience the power and possibilities of God at work on earth as he works in heaven.
Shame on me! It has occurred to me to pray for huge obstacles. I’m not sure if my faith is up to that, yet!
In HIS Service and yours
BroG
After our arrival, the first few days it rained with thunder and lightning, no beach going but plenty of resting, relaxing naps and late wake-ups. That was good! We did go see a movie and a little shopping (ugh).
Finally, we decided to go to the beach anyway and we would leave when it started raining. That proved to be a good plan. It was sunny and clear for a while and then came the thunder clouds. We had made plans to visit a barrier island 12 miles off of the coast but were weary because of the weather. We went Monday to a hot, sunny day with good water and hot sand. There was no oil on the Mississippi beaches.
It is always interesting for our family to decide where to go to church. No church is like Crossroads (thank God), but where to go. Vacation time is the few times I get to see how other people worship. So, we headed off to one church about 30 minutes away. As we were getting to the highway we say some small yard signs for Mosaic Church. So we turned around to go find them. They meet in a skating rink with three weekend services. We were early but it was like home. Turns out the pastor is a lot like me (s my family said). I feel sorry for him. Check them out at http://www.mosaicgc.com/.
Then we came home back to the issues at hand. Crossroads has purchased a modular building 36X66 in size. The plan at the moment is to locate that on the Assembly property on honey ridge road. “Houston we have a problem” water. It seems as a church we are required to have a permit for a well and no permits are being issued south of HWY119. The other option is to connect to a community, city or county water system. That is a possibility with Guyton city but who knows what that will cost?
God knows.
Last night as our small group was talking and praying God reminded me that obstacles are opportunities. Obstacles of weather and plans and water and buildings are opportunities for God to be revealed. He reminded me that I had been viewing them as challenges not opportunities, the larger the obstacle the greater the opportunity for God to be God, the greater the opportunity for me to experience the power and possibilities of God at work on earth as he works in heaven.
Shame on me! It has occurred to me to pray for huge obstacles. I’m not sure if my faith is up to that, yet!
In HIS Service and yours
BroG
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