In the throws of Worship

I had the greatest time while I was gone. I preached a gospel meeting at Center Point church of Christ in Rogersville Missouri, right outside of Springfield and I went to the Zoe Conference in Nashville directly after the meeting. In Rogersville I preached 4 days to a small rural congregation. How small? One of the Elders assured me if people brought their dogs there would be about 60 there. And praise be to God there where more than 60 there and each and every one of them had voices like angels. The singing was wonderful. Mostly older hymns. And the rafters of that church shook with the beautiful sound coming from older men and women, country, rural folk; all giving praise to God. Then I went to Nashville. Huge church! Thousands of people in one place. Being lead by a praise team singing praise songs. And it was wonderful!!! And while both experiences were different they were both right. And it had nothing to do with style or number. It had everything to do with the fact that God was in our midst and He was the focus of our attention and adoration. Young, old, big, small, rural, urban, contemporary, traditional none of those things mean anything in the presence of God. What did Isaiah say when he found himself in the midst of a living God? I am undone. And so are all of our differences.

Greatest Production

I have written plays that have toured around the country. I have had productions performed at the Kennedy Center in D.C. I have directed stars and trained actors that have been on T.V and on the big screen. But the greatest production I have ever been a part of are my sons. They are two of the most beautiful, funniest, coolest kids. As confusing as it is to raise them; their presence in my life makes things make sense. To be hugged by one of them is an honor. To laugh with them is a treat. To listen to the way they see the world is one of the most interesting times you could spend. I think the world is a better place because they are in it. We are truly fortunate to have children in the world. I think its proof that God has hope for His creation.

Turning the sprinklers on

I was walking this morning and passed one of my neighbor's homes with their sprinkler system on. Their yard was beautiful when all around them all of the rest of the homes grass was brown. But there was one other neighbor that had just as nice a yard. It was the neighbor right next to the one with the sprinkler system on. While the next door neighbor didn't have a sprinkler system, their grass was being watered from the run off from of the neighbor's. What a cool picture of the by product of spiritual maturity. If we are feeding ourselves; doing those things we need to do to grow in Christlikeness, others are blessed by the run off. The 23rd Psalm says, "surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life." Ain't it great when our growth in Christ blesses others with goodness and mercy?

I Want to Be Taken for Granted

I want to be taken for granted. I want to be able to do things without expecting a parade to be held in my name. I want to do things without looking for someone to name a street after me. I want to get to the point where it no longer matters whether I am appreciated or swooned over. I want to be able to love and serve without conditions. I don't know about all of humanity anymore. I've tended to generalize too much as of late. So I wont put this all on humanity and our "fallen-ness". I'll just say for me I tend to do things, love people, serve people out of obligation or for the purpose of getting something in return. With God's help I'd like to change my motives. I want to do things solely because God did so much for me. Everything people ask of me is stuff God has already done for me. Cleaning--God did that for me already. Lifting and lugging stuff around-- God has already lifted and lugged more of my burdens than I care to mention. Encourage-- God is so faithful to provide that up lift in so many different ways. If I am motivated by what God has already done for me through Christ I can do great things for others without looking for a thing in return. Because I would have been doing it out of gratitude for what has already been done instead of doing things for the sake of what I hope I get in the return. I want to be taken for granted.

Col. 2:9,10

In Christ is the fullness of God. In Christ we find fullness. Christ--the source of all wholeness.

It Would Need to Be a Mighty Big Room!

I was thinking about the life of the Trappist monk and author Thomas Merton recently and in one of his books he talks about this point in his life, while on a corner of a busy intersection in a major metropolitan center, where he fell in love with humanity. What?!?!?!? He talks about this moment when he realized he loved every one of the people that passed by him. His heart opened. I know what this heart opening feels like. I experienced it when my children were born. At the time I realized I loved my wife to such a overwhelming degree that I was sure there was no more room in my heart to love someone else. Then my son was born. And all of a sudden a door to another room opened up in my heart that I didn't even know existed. And the same thing happened again with the birth of my youngest son. So I know what that "opening up" feels like. But, for all of humanity?!?! This thought haunts me and now I want to be there. I want to love, truly love, everyone I meet. Despite all of their short comings and my misgivings.

It just struck me...

I'm no Paris Hilton fan, but isn't it interesting that she did more time than Scooter Libby?