Missouri Morning With God

Yes, it's hard to not say the 1 picture = 1000 word thing. It was so incredible out in the woods yesterday morning that my camera couldn't even do it justice. FYI - the deer was 22 yards away, but I enjoyed the spying over the shooting (it helps to have a freezer full of venison). I also had some turkeys come by at about 20 yards (the two legged feathery kind) and if I'd known the pictures didn't turn out - none of them - I'd have had my bow in hand instead of the camera. The colors on the trees were so vibrant and beautiful - I wish they'd last longer. Wow, what a metaphor of life - I smell a sermon - not! God's creation is always one of the best sermons we'll ever hear or see! Thank you Lord for another day in your cathedral!

(By the way Chad, the doe came from exactly were the script said! Sorry she waited.)

And God said...

The problem is not whether or not God speaks to us. The problem is our willingness to hear Him when it happens. We pray for guidance, and then put Him on a stop-watch to answer us yesterday. It's no wonder we don't hear Him when the only way we think He can talk to us is through scriptures. Why is it that somehow it's scary to think of God personally speaking to our hearts but we have no problems believing He can providentially guide us to the exact passage of scripture we need? Let me add to my record of radical teachings the belief that God speaks to us! I truly hope you do too! I'm not talking about any new teachings or anything that contradicts His Word, because, after all, a Holy God cannot contradict Himself and still be Holy! And I'm not talking about "still voices in the night" or burning bushes. I'm talking about an open heart being receptive to the Holy Spirits help and leading - just like Paul declares in Romans 8. Why is it that we all agree that Satan puts evil thoughts in our hearts, but have a hard time believing that God can put a godly thought there? When we hear that inner voice tell us to do something good - something Christ-like, it may be a conscience that is godly or maybe it's something God wants us to do! There is nothing in scripture that says that God cannot put a thought into our hearts. The real question is who are you listening to? To say that God is not actively involved is to say that the fruit of the Spirit is really just fruit without the Spirit! When we have the fruit of the Spirit, we have God working in our lives - helping, guiding, speaking, and drawing closer to us.
Who do we listen to? I was made painfully aware of how we listen to the wrong people as we looked at the problem of suffering and pain in one of my study groups. I have been guiding people in a discussion of "How can there be a loving God when there is so much pain and suffering in the world?" That's considered the number one argument for atheists. Then last night I was reading a book where a professor was asked that question and his response was, "In a world with so much good, how can there not be a God?" Wow! I immediately was saddened by the thought that I was influenced more by the news programs I watched than the goodness of God I witnessed all around me. It's a deep concept. Now I wonder - did God lead me to that page in that book, was it a coincidence, or did He speak to me through that professor, or...What difference does it make. He's involved - and I'm thankful for all the help He can give! Thank you Father.

I am thankful that God is so patient with me. While there are thousands of things that I could mention, I am humbled so much by the fact He gave me enough years of life to realize how important it is to be thankful. It's not an accident that thankfulness permeates the Word of God as much or more than any other concept! Just check out a concordance and see how often thanks, thankful, thankfulness, thanksgiving, and gratitude appear in the Bible! It's amazing that we miss how central it is to spiritual growth! Since I have been thinking so much about it the last few years, and hopefully growing in it too, I've been looking for things as I read the Bible that will remind me about how much I have to be thankful for. Of course, the Word is full of statements about God's love, grace, and mercy. Because of Jesus, nothing in this world looks as good as joining Him in Heaven. I love all the passages about "one another" stuff too! I get excited reading about what the Spirit does even though I'll never understand the how and when. But I read a very special verse in John's third epistle that I've read scores of times, but I've never let it speak for me. When I did, it said it all. "I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth." (vs.4) Isn't that awesome? There is nothing that thrills me more than to know that our physical children and their godly spouses all love God and are actively building deeper relationships with Him. And it's wonderful to know that our grandchildren, both born and hoped for, will be raised knowing and loving our Father. And I also have to add to that group the many spiritual children through the years that we have helped to find God and know Him better. God has allowed us to impact a lot of lives over the last thirty-plus years and we are thankful for each one. Still, I can think of six "kids" and four grand-kids in particular, who give me the greatest joy because I know they "are walking in the truth." That's especially exciting when you remember that "truth" is Jesus (John 14:6), not some persons idea of "doctrinal correctness." I really like John's declaration of joy and I especial like his clear sense of priorities. I can't wait to tell him "thanks" in person.

Said I Wasn't Gonna Shout About It But...

My grandson, Carter, loves to "frow woks" in the pond behind our house. There's just something about that splash that little boys love seeing. When all three of our our grand-boys are here, you'd think it was a hail storm with so many rocks being tossed into the water. We learned to stand alert too. The rocks are liable to go in any direction! It was so nice to have Chad, Elizabeth, Carter, and Ashlyn with us this past weekend. We got to visit and eat, play with the kids and eat, Chad and I did some hunting and eating, and we got to plan what we're going to eat when they visit next month for Eatgiving. Deborah called yesterday to give us the exciting news that she, Pat, Joshua, and Caleb are coming up for a quick visit next week. I can't wait to see them and spend some quality time eating. Now, why am I twenty pounds overweight and taking cholesterol medicine? Another blog at another time - when I don't have a dinner to attend.

Can I just say that this is may favorite time of the year! I just love it. It's why I can spend three or four hours sitting in a tree stand - never seeing a deer, and still love every minute of it. The colors of nature right now are awesome. Is God the best artist or what? And I wish I could tell you how nice it is to be in those woods and just think about God and talk to Him like I'd talk to another hunting buddy. (Remember, He is the One who told Peter to "Kill and eat!") If brethren knew how many good ideas and sermon thoughts came from being out in the woods, they'd close down my office during hunting season! With God's help, I've resolved more problems, removed more stress, and discovered more answers in tree stands than nearly any place I've ever spent time. In spite of the thousands of folks who've expressed concern over me possibly hitting "Bambi" with an arrow from my bow, there have been far more inspiring thoughts than perspiring deer drags. Besides, Bambi would have died of old age four decades ago - IF HE WEREN'T A CARTOON CHARACTER!

I don't recommend many books, other than the six by the author I know best, but I have truly enjoyed Seeking A Lasting City, by Mark Love, Douglas Foster, and Randy Harris. It's full of challenging thoughts and offers an excellent approach to understanding the purpose of the church. Every church leader should read it. In fact, it would be an awesome study guide for a church staff and eldership to go through together. They are hitting many things that have been on my heart the last few years. If you're like me, it's not a good bedtime book because it gets the mental juices flowing. Hope you can get a copy. It's through ACU Press.

Go Cards!

Baby Steps!

It's the simple things we do that develops our character. Sometimes we think that if we attend a certain workshop, lectureship, or seminar, or maybe participate in some great spiritual activity we will be changed into mature people of God. These things are wonderful support activities, but it's when we do the day to day things - those small choices that God gives us the chance to grow through - those times we choose to have a spiritual perspective - that's when we have true spiritual formation happening in our lives. In the last couple of years it has helped me to think of these things as "spiritual baby steps." Growing a faith relationship doesn't happen in leaps but in little steps. But that's the nature of all relationship building. Whether we are building a friendship, a mature marriage, or our walk with God, it's the baby steps that keep it moving, keep it real, and keep it exciting. This is the stuff that books need to be written about, but this is supposed to be a short blog so I'll just illustrate this by pointing back to the blog about "thoughtfulness" being the single most important element in marriage or any relationship - including with God. So what's the secret to being a thoughtful spouse, friend, parent, or child of God? Thankfulness! Thankfulness is thoughtfulness and thoughtfulness creates thankfulness. But- thankfulness is not a huge act of appreciation, it's baby steps of being thankful in all the small things of life - of our relationship. We choose it! We build a grateful attitude and grateful attitudes are growing attitudes! It's also, I believe, the single most important way to grow a prayer life and draw closer to God. After all, who are you thankful to, and it's simply a baby step prayer - which is communication with God - which is how relationships are built! We are in control of thankfulness, and hence, in control of being thoughtful. Thanks for reading this.

History Lesson 101

When I was a kid growing up in Washington, D.C., I used to think of myself as "living in history." As I got older, I learned to enjoy history, thanks to a top teacher in high school. After earning a masters degree in history, I thought I would be able to say "I know history," but graduate work gets narrower the farther you go and so I could/can only say "I know some history." Well, now I'm old enough to say "I am history!" - though technically I'm not history until I'm totally past tense. I like history - most of the time. I like it as a category in Trivial Pursuit. I like reading about wars and visiting old battle fields. I enjoy learning from history and using it in my preaching and teaching. I don't feel compelled to say it because I'm a preacher, it's just true - I especially enjoy biblical history. I wish the History Channel had more programs about that and less about UFO's. Historical research is a lot more complicated than most people realize. One of the great mistakes historians tend to make is reaching conclusions based on too little evidence. It's also difficult to understand what evidence you have in it's proper context. For instance, a thousand years from now, some historian is going to conclude that 21st Century Americans were squeezing toilet paper, obsessed with a secret that someone named Victoria had, and went to restaurants that specialized in owls. Context is what gives meaning to past events. I'm relating this because I've been thinking about all the times doctrinal conclusions have be substantiated by extra-biblical accounts and other historical research. The argument usually sounds like this, "This was written by a second century church leader, who being that close to the original New Testament period - surely had a handle on what the first Christians did." The conclusion being that the pattern was in place and our job is to follow it. This is a critical argument in discussions about the Lord's Supper, music, the Lord's day, worship, and other things we tend to argue about. Two thoughts come to mind. First, how reliable is it to use what one group of Christians did nineteen hundred years ago as a conclusive example, when there were hundreds, even thousands of congregations all over the world by then? Can we call that an established pattern? And the other thought I keep having is, how do we know from looking at these Church Fathers writings what was "their tradition" and what was the continuation of a binding New Testament church pattern? The argument that they are so close is ludicrous. It takes only months sometimes to establish a tradition. In a couple of years, people start believing they've always done it. These writers are decades away from the first Christian churches. Just look how difficult it would be to have any sweeping conclusions about the Churches of Christ in 2006 when no two congregations do things the same way - let alone agree on anything! Yet for some reason we read what one second or third century church leader says and see that as validation for binding a practice or a conclusion. Hey - Corinth had some wrong traditions within a couple years of Paul starting the church there. Don't you love history? I do.

This is one of my favorite pictures from this years Colorado bowhunting trip. I've posted several (the live deer, the dead dear w/ live hunter, and the Colorado stormy sunrise), but this one is so classic. This was our twentieth year to bowhunt elk and mule deer in Meeker, CO and we all three were blessed with harvesting nice bucks. This is actually a picture of Brian's mullie strapped to the back of his ATV. For years we had to drive into town, find a phone booth, use the phone cards, and call home to tell them the good news, or on most occasions, the non-news. How typical of life's changes is it to see Kevin on his cell phone calling his family and Brian programming his (and I forgot what it's called but it does everything but field-dress deer) to take a picture to send to his family? We actually used our cell phones to talk to each other in the mountains because they had better reception than the walkie-talkies had. Talk about going to the mountains to "get away from it all," but we were just one speed dial away from any and every friend in the country. I even got a wrong number call from St. Louis one day while in a tree stand! And those ATV's - they are soooo much nicer than hiking up and down those mountains. They made each trip out to hunt a lot of fun even if we didn't see any animals! Have I mentioned that I love modern technology? I do - even though I spent thirty minutes on an awesome blog yesterday only to accidentally erase the whole thing while trying to get the crazy spell check to work on my home computer! Oh well, since I was writing about being thankful, I resisted the urge to punch my Dell flat screen. I was able to be thankful for the VERY CLEAR DISPLAY OF AN EMPTY BLOG POST! I never said I understood it - I just love it when technology works, or I work, or those tiny chips work, or whatever it is that has to work works. Praise God - He always works!

Marriage: Bottom Line!

The best part about being married is home-cooked meals, someone to pick up after you, and sex and time you want it! The best part about being a Christian is that God forgives me for telling such lies. I love home-cooked meals, but as empty-nesters, and having a wife who works harder than I do most day, I enjoy taking here out to eat 2 or 3 times a week. I don't need anyone to pick up after me because, as my kids will tell you, I'm a compulsive picker-upper and clean-freak on my own. And as for sex any time I want it, it's not anymore "all" my call than it is for any husband. The truth about marriage is older than the Word of God because marriage was around a lot longer than the written word. It's not any more a secret for us than it was for Adam and Eve. Just as true love (agape) is more a choice than a feeling, the key to a successful life-long relationship involves one of the most important choices of our lives. All the marriage films, seminars, and counseling sessions you will ever participate in will bring you back to the same foundational principle. I wrote this down on a little 3M sticker and stuck it in front of my computer several weeks ago. I'm looking at it "Yea verily" right now. It states "The single most important element in marriage is thoughtfulness." All relationships grow or fail based on our ability to think and appreciate the other person more than we do ourselves. People don't have financial, communication, and sexual problems from being thoughtful. Relationship problems come from pride and selfishness, which is really a redundancy if you think about it. Thoughtfulness; it's the part of relationship building that looks the most like Jesus. I wish there was space to elaborate, but I'll close with this thought. Not only is thoughtfulness the most important element in marriage, it's the key to our relationship with God. Think about it!

Something to chew on!

I'm still thinking about this Sunday's lesson. Here's the point: "What you see depends on where you sit!" I wrote about that in the last blog, but I keep having moments of reaffirmation every day. I was just at a meeting of ministers, whom I love and respect, but our devotional thought was about spending more time worshipping throughout the week rather than reducing it to one hour on Sunday. Sounds like something from one of my books, except I wouldn't define worship as any segment of a day any more than I'd describe our sacrifice to God as only being certain hours of our life. Here's the thought to chew on: are we not still sitting in the Temple when we continue to see Jesus as someone to be worshipped? Ha-Ha! That statement will only scare you if you still think of worship as a point-in-time bowing down and doing obeisance (proskuneo in Gr.) rather than a life lived in obedience to God (latreuo in Gr.). As long as we start with that Temple paradigm, we can always beat ourselves with guilt for the lack of time spent worshipping God. It's not about three or five times a day or even which days of the week - it's about living, seeking, and loving Him, and He says we do that by loving and serving one another! So here's the final blog-bite to chew on for today: Jesus never asked us to worship Him but to have a relationship with Him!

From Where I'm Sitting...

I had to stop my work on this Sunday's sermon for a few minutes. Partly because I'm hitting the 3 - o'clock-in-the-afternoon-wall that makes me want to take a nap, and partly because that same wall reminds me that just a few years ago, that wall didn't exist. You see, I'm working on a lesson about how our perceptions are often colored by where we are when we see things. I'm going to ask the question, "Where are you sitting spiritually?" I don't want you to suffer through a preview of that lesson, but I have been struck by the profound fact that we are constantly changing seats. If we're not, we're not growing. It's going to be fun to apply that to our church life in this Sunday's lesson. The truth of that fact, however, came home to me earlier today as I found myself saying at our staff lunch, "I can't believe it's the second week of bow season (for deer) and I haven't been out hunting yet!" I love bowhunting, but you know what? It just doesn't drive me like it used to. I still want to do it and, Lord willing, I should be out in the woods soon, but it just doesn't push my buttons like it use to. Watching God's creation come alive with the sunrise, silently observing wildlife that has no idea I'm watching, and just spending quiet time in a tree stand thinking, reflecting, and praying - I love it and hope God lets me do it for many more years. Still, as the years ooze by and the hair-line races back, my passion is for people. I truly love being with my church family. I live for Sunday. I get excited just thinking about seeing brothers and sisters hugging, laughing, and praising God together. I love my partners in the Gospel, my fellow ministers, shepherds, and workers who make going to work seem more like going to Thanksgiving every day! I love having the most amazing daughter of God I've ever known as my co-worker, friend, and wife of nearly thirty-four years. I love thinking about our children and their incredible spouses and thanking God for their faith, their ministries for Him, and their spiritual maturity. I don't even have to sit in a tree stand to reflect on four precious little grand children who make my heart ache to be so far away from them, but who fill me with joy as I think about their sweet faces and beautify spirits and about them growing up in the Lord. No, I'm not going to quit hunting with my bow for those illusive whitetail deer, but I just don't have to "get away" to remember how wonderful God has been to me. I kinda like my new seat. It's got a great view.

Sacred "HOWS"

There is such comfort in "formula faith" because it gives ready, though supremely legalistic, answers to all doctrinal questions. We are taught to think of our sacred "Hows" as "the undisputed truth" for all rational thinkers, and quickly learn to spout them out in catechistic fashion. It's more than a cute pun to call them sacred "Hows" because they've become the definition of orthodoxy. More than that, they define us as a fundamental, evangelical, restoration religious movement! It's not that they are wrong - I have preached and still preach most of these things myself, just not the same way. The problem is that they are man-made, man-contrived, and man-driven! They promote self-righteousness, institutionalized faith, and forget the only thing that Jesus said proves we are His disciples. They're not formulas for loving one another, they are systematic theology, which has its place but does little to build a personal relationship with Jesus. They are steps to follow, which also has a place, but that promotes self-sufficiency when the need is to walk in His steps. Most of all, as correct as some "Hows" may be, they push seekers into legalistic thinking rather than connecting with the Spirit of Christ. "How to interpret the Bible?" Answer: "Look for three things; command, example, and implied inference!" Who decided that? It's never taught in the Bible! Okay, a command is obvious, but who and where is it ever taught that the second two where equal or on the same level as a command? When was the last time anyone in the church ever argued over a command? "How to become a Christian?" The five step plan of salvation - though neither the "five steps" or "plan of salvation" ever appears in the Bible and it's a stretch to see all five in any example of conversion (but of course we can assume....). "How to worship on Sunday?" The five "Acts of worship" must take place, though there's not a single example of an assembly in the New Testament where we see all five (but of course we can assume...). (Look at Acts 2, 20, and 1 Cor.10-14 for yourself.) Does anyone care that Sunday is never called "the day of worship" or even "the Lord's day" in scripture? Don't even start looking for "the five acts of worship" because worship IS NEVER AN EVENT IN THE NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH, IT'S A LIFE GIVEN TO GOD! (But I've already got three books about that!) Well, you get the idea I hope. I could add "How to structure church leadership?" and "How to do ministry?" and others that have been reduced, minimized, and legalized by man's formulas. Again, some of the conclusions are totally correct, but it becomes too easy to leave Jesus out - to leave spiritual relationships out! I love some "Hows," like how do you show the world that you are disciples of Jesus? "The world will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another." How do you know you are a child of God? "This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are; Anyone who does not do what is right is not a child of God; nor is anyone who does not love his brother." (1 Jn.3:10) How do we know we have eternal life? "We know we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers." (1 Jn.3:14) John doesn't have the neat steps or formula approach, but he sure sounds an awful lot like Jesus.

WARNING! Radical Stuff!

I am presently reading two books that are talking about the nature of the church. Both are challenging most of the traditional thinking that drives our conclusions about what church is, and showing that most of it just doesn't come from the Bible. Yet even these radical books are not free from the temple/sanctuary paradigm that colors our conclusions. Our traditional view of "church" is so integrated into our culture, our history, and our thinking, that it may be impossible for large numbers of us to break free and see what the Word of God really teaches. I think it is one of the great paradoxes of Restoration promoters. Theoretically and philosophically we understand that "church" is any "called out" or "ekklesia" person. As a child of God, I am the church. When I'm with other Christians, we are the church assembled, but not any more THE church than when each of us are alone in our cars driving home. Every person from the Restoration heritage who has been in more than two Bible classes knows this and can give you the Greek word for church in their sleep. They've heard hundreds of sermons saying that "Church is not brick and mortar, but people who live for God!" Still, everyone, including the preachers who preached it, can not stop thinking of church as a structure, a building, a place to pilgrimage to three times a week (if you're faithful) and offer up one hour of "worship" to God, because it's the least you can do for Him after all He's done for you! What we know intellectually and biblically is disconnected from what we "feel" culturally. Because we start out with a time & place temple paradigm, we interpret scripture in the light of that paradigm. We don't read about New Testament Christians singing (Eph.5:19), we read about Christians establishing a pattern for "acts of worship" in the formal church service! We don't read about New Testament Christians using some simple elements of their meal together to remember Jesus, we see a sacrament, a religious ritual that is legally reserved for only a special place and time! And since "we are right," we couldn't possibly own up the the fact that we are more guided in our interpretation of the New Testament by a Catholic/cathedral heritage than we are by an honest Restoration heritage!
Let's go one step farther, not only is church not a building or a structure, it's not an organization or an institution. Every preacher used to be required to preach the "Three institutions of God" sermon. God gave the institutions of marriage, governments, and the church. Makes for a good three point sermon, but it's not taught in the Bible that way. Since when is a "body" an institution? Even if I give you the government as an institution, marriage is "one body"and nothing in any dictionary anywhere will equate "one body" with and institution. The church is not an institution for the same reason. We have to totally ignore God's metaphors in the New Testament. Have you ever thought about what it means for the church to be a body (1 Cor.12), the Bride of Christ (Eph.5), or the Family or household of God (1 Tim.3)? The church is not a business, a corporation, or a government with laws and charters. We are a living organism, a body, and a family! It's relational not institutional! We have had so many centuries of cathedrals, temples, sanctuaries, and church buildings that we can't see the simplicity of what God intended. Church is what we are - like worship! It means we belong to Him and are part of everyone else who belongs to Him. The church together, is not an institution, but simply a tool for building spiritual relationships, which is how we learn to love and serve Him. God knew we would need help as we sought to grow in godliness. In His tool box that gives us "all things that pertain to life and godliness"(2 Peter 1:3), relationships - Christian togetherness, is one of the tools He gave us to help make it happen. It's a tool, just like prayer, the Holy Spirit, the Lord's Supper, and several other awesome things He provided for our spiritual growth.
Bottom line: church is a tool for building spiritual relationships! How ironic is it that we usually don't have time for that on Sunday morning? Now read 1 John again and see if it doesn't make a whole lot more sense. If you're pushed for time, just read 1 John 3:23 and look at the only two things that John says are "His commands," and then explain why relationship building is optional or and extracurricular activity with most congregations!

God Is Good!

He's always good - even when we don't feel good or think we are having a good day. I'm writing this on a Monday morning (my official day off), it's beautiful outside, with just a touch of Fall in the air, and my biggest problem of the day is trying to decide whether or not to go hunting. Wow! Life is good - at least today - that's why I'm glad He is always good, because tomorrow may not be so lov-er-ly! So with things being so good, why not complain a little? I have some wonderfully controversial things about the nature of the church that I want to write about, but hey - this is Monday! I don't want to think that hard! I was just checking our emails and thinking how nice it is that so many folks write to us and share so many wonderful things with us. The emails that require a long wait as they download are a little bit frustrating - particularly when you're just wanting to do a quick check of the emails, but all in all I appreciate what folks send to us......However????? The quickest way to guarantee a quick punching of the delete key, is to get to the end of a forwarded anything and be challenged to "send this to five more people" if you "love your country" - "love your friends" - "love the Lord" - or for some reason need to prove that you are unashamed of all the above. What a load of cow patties! I appreciate the patriotic, the spiritually enriching, and the conservative concerns of all these articles, presentations, and paranoid postings! I agree with nearly all of them and enjoy reading them! But what gives anyone the right to try and dump some manmade guilt on me because I don't follow their techno-test of loyalty, faith, and friendship! Sorry, but pleasing God and enjoying his marvelous grace frees me from accepting unnecessary and unwarranted guilt created from someone elses imagination! I am fully capable of developing my own reasons for guilt and I've spent a lot of years trying to make sure that I only accept the guilt He sends so I can conform to His will - not the arbitrary will of well meaning advocates of postitions I agree with. So, don't take it personally if you discover that I didn't forward something you sent me or didn't receive something that you find out I was challenged to forward to you. My care for you is not defined by the silly requirements of others tests of loyalty. I read it, I enjoy it, and I appreciate it, but if it has a "prove your love" or a "show your patriotism" clause at the end of it - one click will take care of everything. Now, if the guilt of sin could just be taken care of that easily...

Living Proof

OKAY - so I'm living proof that someone with horrible spelling can still get published! I've written six books that are published and two others that should be and I'm in the middle of a new one now. Since I can't figure out how to make the spell check work on this blog stuff, everyone who logs on will discover that spelling is not one of my strong talents. I spell phonetically (is that right?) and so most of my ongoing mistakes are usually things like when to use double consonants and "ence" endings vs. "ance" ending and such - and a few hundred others... So, until my daughter or some other techno-helper can tell me why when I click the cute little icon that says "Spell Check" does nothing to help me, you'll have to read the "spirit" of my blog and not the "letter". How's that for a theological escape-clause?

So for now, please settle for this picture of a Colorado mulie (brother to the one whose antlers I am holding below) that really turned out beautiful. In fact, it's my new screen saver in place of the year and a half old family picture that was there. Sorry family - we're overdue a new one anyway.

Coincidence or Providence?

For some reason, Elizabeth and I both wrote about cigarette smokers in our blogs today. Within minutes of writing my blog, without anyone reading it, I got this picture sent to me by two different people. It's great! The title is "The Mural in the New Smoking Lounge". That's got to be a little inhibiting.

Morning Musings

I really enjoy my morning run/walks that I take every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. It's my exercise for the week, but also my meditation time - at least one of them. It has been alittle difficult getting used to the heavy morning traffic on Shackleford Road as everyone is rushing off to work at that time of the morning. It can't be good to breathe in all those exhaust fumes as I run down the sidewalk, but such is modern life - right? To be honest, the human exhaust is worse than the engine exhaust. I'm talking about the cigarette smoke that blows from the windows of passing addicts. I've never been much of a "smoker basher," like a lot of preachers tend to be, because people have just as much right to kill themselves with tobacco as the rest of us do with overeatting! But at least overeatters don't stink up the air around them for thirty yards in all directions. It's amazing to me that so many have decided that cigarettte stink is socially acceptable. Personally, I think my Skunk Cover Scent that I've used while hunting smells better - especially in a restaurant while trying to eat - but I digress - there's just something about the spoiling of the fresh morning air that makes me sad. And, if I hadn't come away from so much of it in my past it might not be such a noticable and noxious smell. It really is such a small distraction, just hard to ignore. I see God's creation in such a special way early in the morning. The freshly cut corn fields look like His two-day-old beard. The golden bean fields remind me of a new 1965 shag carpet (remember Harvest Gold?), and the flocks of geese flighing overhead look like God's arrowhead zooming to a new azure target. I pass four church buildings and wonder if each is a family of God who are joyful, Spirit filled, and seeking a deeper relationship with Him. I ask myself, "Is my error better than theirs?" Will we meet at the heavenly chorus rehearsal and say, "How did we live so close to one another and yet never praise God together?" I'm glad God is bigger than my prejudices and traditions. I'm excited to know that His grace is surely much more inclusive than my conclusions. It's not just the sidewalk I'm walking on, I'm walking in the light of His love and being cleansed by blood that is greater than all my doubts and weaknesses. Now if I could just learn how to use the spell check......

Welcome to the Twenty-First Century?

Okay - I've been known as a radical since my early preaching days in High School. I don't think of it as being "radical" as much as I think of it as "being on the cutting edge of change." When I wrote Spilt Grape Juice in the late eighties and it was published in '91, I was the only one proclaiming the New Testament doctrine of 24/7 worship. I was quickly marked "radical" again, and black-listed from many of our Brotherhood spotlight activities. Two more books on worship, both challenging all our traditional thinking on the subject, simply entrenched my position as one of the "radicals" or (and I love this label) "Change-agents" in the church. Praise God! I have no doubt whatsoever that Jesus would have been called both of those things by the Pharisees of His day if they had known such words were available. They're actually much nicer than most of the words they called Him. My point is not to rant about labels - though I probably will in the future, but to point out that while I may be a "free-thinking, change promoting, wild-eyed fearless iconoclastic radical" in religious circles, I'm a techno-wimp when it comes to blogging or using any new comupterized communication contraptions.

My kids program my phone for me (they're all married and in their late twenties but I call'em kids as a term of endearment- and to remind them that "I'm the Papa!"). Deborah put my pictures on my phone for me. Elizabeth took me by the hand and showed me how to download my digital camera into my computer. Jonathan had to hook up our widescreeen HDTV and DVD player. And of course, my lovely wife Donna, can program new phone numbers into my phone much faster than I can, so in my pitiful ignorance, I usually hand my phone to her and say, "Honey, could you put their number in my phone for me?" She always does because she's sweet and she knows what a techno-clutz I am.

So why start a blog? I don't know. I'm not even sure as I write this whether or not it will come up on a screen. But sometimes you gotta be courageous and trust the pixels. Actually, I've been thinking about it for a long time and after some encouragement from Elizabeth and my roomate of thirty-four years I decided to jump into the blog and see who cares! My plan for now is to just let it flow on whatever subject I feel like talking about that day. This is not a doctrinal debate blog or a political forum. I want to have fun, share thoughts, challenge some thinking, vent on things I may not preach about, and generally drop some melons from the cerebral tenth floor and see how they splatter. How's that for an intriguing metaphor. I really want to share, with anyone who wants to be part of it, my own journey in seeking a closer relationship with our Father and our best friend, Jesus Christ. I want Him to be pleased with whatever I blog about. He knows blogs! He did the first one in stone on Mt. Sinai and folks are still trying to delete it!

May this honor Him and encourage someone to seek Him. More later - if it works?