My Sister

I think that time zones are one of the greatest inventions in the world. From the beginning of time, time was measured by the position of the sun, and it wasn’t until 1883 that time zones were first used by the railroads to standardize their schedules. (For a complete history of Daylight Savings Time, see http://webexhibits.org/daylightsaving/index.html). I like time zones because they basically allow us to “relive” the moment…to be sure that we don’t miss some of the most important things in our lives.

You see, today was my sister Charlene’s birthday. I can’t tell you for sure how old she is (nor does she want me to), but I know it is a special day for her. I have thought about her all day, but didn’t get the chance to call her until it was too late. Then I remembered TIME ZONES – it was 2 hours earlier in California and I still had a chance to catch her on her birthday. Charlene is about 15 years older than me and I don’t really remember much about living in the same house with her. By the time I was 4 or 5, she had moved out on her own, and soon moved back to California. We have kept up over the years, mainly through Mom. I still remember the summer we spent a couple of weeks with her family in California (and I still have the ceramic box of popcorn I painted to prove it). My sister has always been special to me. But what makes Charlene (and several other members of my family) really special is that she loves the Lord. I look forward to being with her always in heaven.

It wasn’t always that way. Although I was baptized into Christ at the age of 10, most of my God fearing family members came to know Christ later in life. Charlene has grown strong in her faith and I can tell that she follows Colossians 3 and sets her mind on things above. I really appreciated an email she sent about one of my former blogs. She stated:

Hey Duffer, [don't ask]

Just had a chance to check out the website above. I loved it. Please remind me when you do it again. I hadn't gotten a chance to read it before today...I did forward it to the girls as well so they can share it with their families. I am blessed to know that I have biological brothers and sisters that believe as I do (although it took me 40 years to get know Christ not just about Christ). That He lives in and through us -that His living through us affects how those around us and how they see Christ. One thing I did when I came to Christ was "watched" how those that taught me about Christ reflected their teaching in their lives. It was very insightful and I think those that really KNOW Christ preach/teach it with their everyday in every situation lives. I am blessed that He gave me the family He gave me and pray for those in the family that don't really know Christ yet. He doesn't make mistakes or say oops so each member has something to teach another if we'd only ask Him to show us what is it He wants us to learn from them and our experiences with them. There is even things God teaches us through those we didn't know (mom's 3 miscarriages and Keith). I love you and miss you a lot. Hugs and kisses to all - wish we could see each other more often but one day that won't be a problem. Have a fantastic day!

Love,

Sis Charlene

I am reminded of the laborers in the vineyard in Matthew 20. As, the story goes, the master hired some in the morning for a certain pay. Later that day he hired more for the same pay and, again, at the end of the day, he hired more, still paying them the same wage as the first workers hired.

It just goes to show – you don’t have to be in different time zones – as long as we draw breath, it is never too late.

"So the last will be first, and the first will be last." Matthew 20:16.

Put Me In Coach

Coaching a softball team is much harder than it looks. I don’t mean “coaching” in the traditional sense where we meet for practice a couple of times per week and I instruct the players on the finer points of the game. You see, we are just a church league softball team with a variety of talents and enthusiasm. I have organized a team for the past several years and have had a wide range of challenges when it comes time to place ten players on the field. The most difficult task is to place each player in the position which best suits his or her abilities and is most beneficial to the team.

One year, I had at least 16 to 20 guys show up each week wanting to showcase their talents for the loyal fans who show. With so many guys, of various ages and physical abilities, the “talent” pool is somewhat diluted and it becomes very difficult to get everyone into the game for equal playing time, especially when the score resembles Super Bowl VI in 1972 (look it up!). It makes it hard when we can’t even bat through the entire lineup. Some times, especially for the co-ed team, we have trouble fielding a full team and either have to recruit players from other teams or from the stands, or forfeit the game. Even this year, where I have limited the number of players so as to be able to encourage a smaller group of men as opposed to discouraging a much larger number, it is still difficult to find just the right mix.

Some of our guys – who are all very good players – can only play in one or two positions. Some arms are weaker than others and some just don’t have the range that they used to. I am mainly speaking of myself, since I am overweight, have thrown my arm out and just can’t run like I want since I tore up my knee several years ago. I also can’t see as well anymore and thus I have relegated myself to playing catcher or first base. So each Friday night during the summer, I spend considerable angst placing "my guys" in just the right positions to try and field the best team we can.

We go through the same ritual every Sunday. Each Lord’s day, we at Central try to appoint men, young and old, to serve in a capacity which creates the optimum atmosphere for worshipping our God. Gone are the days when we cornered the first guys we saw just to get the appointment sheet filled up. Now, much like coaching, we attempt to utilize the talents and abilities of the congregation to achieve the most effective team of servants. Some men are fantastic speakers with insightful thoughts who can direct the minds of the congregation to the Lord’s table and the Savior’s sacrifice. Some are exceptional worship leaders who choose just the right songs that best compliment the lesson and direct them in such a way to as to lead our hearts and souls into God’s presence. Others are not as comfortable in the public arena but are happy to serve the congregation by serving communion or helping as ushers. I have heard many a prayer that humbles me as the one who prays petitions the Lord to intercede in just the areas of our lives that we need Him most as well as encourages us to take a more active role in the lives of our fellow members.

These men have made our corporate worship at Central the warm, loving, and meaningful. Much like Paul’s instructions in 1 Corinthians 12, our services are as much about serving and encouraging others as they are about serving and praising God. Thank you, men of Central, for volunteering your time and talents so that our worship may be a fragrant offering to God, and an encouraging experience for the rest of us. Thank you for making my job much easier as I approach each Sunday and ask for your commitment to serve.

By the way, I also welcome volunteers. Just say “put me in coach”.

Centerfield

Have you ever had a project where you thought “If you want it done right, you have to do it yourself”? Or perhaps you figured that you could do it a whole lot faster and more accurately than having to take the time to show someone else how to do it? John Fogerty must have felt this way. He wrote/sang a song in 1985 titled “Centerfield”. It depicts his passion for the greatest game on earth – America’s pastime – BASEBALL!! Fogerty had a CD/album/tape by the same title on which he played every instrument and sang the vocals as well.

Baseball is a team sport. It takes nine men to cover the entire field. In order to accomplish anything, everyone on the field has to work together as a team. “Centerfield” speaks of one man’s desire to get into the game…to make a difference. Not just to get into the game, but to play one of the most important positions on the field. A centerfielder has to know everything that is going on. Other than the catcher, he has the best and broadest perspective on the whole field. He probably has more ground to cover than any other player and is usually one of the fastest fielders with one of the best gloves (catching ability). He has to have one of the strongest arms on the team. He not only does he have to back up both of the other outfielders, but should also be backing up throws to second base. He has to be moving on every single play and know ahead of time where each runner is located and where to throw the ball when it is hit to him.

Regardless of how important centerfield is, no matter how good the centerfielder is, no matter how much passion or desire the centerfielder has, he is still only one of nine players on the field. He can’t play the game alone! You still need a pitcher to pitch to the batter, and a catcher to call the pitches and to be there to catch whatever the pitcher throws. You need four other infielders to field the grounders and throw out the runners before they reach the plate. And the centerfielder cannot cover the entire outfield. He needs help from two other guys. All nine men have to have a single purpose and work together to hold the other team to as few runs as possible and win the game.

The Lord’s body is the same. We often rely on our preachers or youth ministers or missionaries to spread the word of God, to feed the local flock, to teach us and our children, and to keep us awake during services. How often have we come away from services saying that we didn’t get anything out of Church, or that it didn’t make us feel any better, or that it was just too long, or maybe even that the preacher or worship leader should have done a better job. All the while we sit and watch from the dugout, content to take the credit for, or to share in, the good reputation of the congregation, and ready to criticize when we feel someone didn’t measure up.

Maybe it is time for us to gain the passion of teamwork, to be on the field, engaged in the game, yearning for someone to hit the ball to us…so that we can contribute. Don’t get me wrong, we still can’t do everything. Some people are better pitchers. Some better catchers or shortstops. Some can run faster and hit farther. Each member has different talents. Some are better preachers, teachers, singers, servers, prayers, or encouragers. But it still takes a full team to win. How passionate are we? How badly do we want to make a difference?

"Oh, put me in, Coach - I'm ready to play today;

Put me in, Coach - I'm ready to play today;

Look at me, I can be Centerfield"

Foundations

Last Sunday was Senior Recognition Sunday at Central. It also fell on 4th Sunday Praise and Prayer Night so I asked some of the graduating seniors to participate in the Service. The topic I chose for two of our young men was “Building on Strong Foundations”. Both Kevin and Tim did an excellent job telling us how Jesus is the rock on which we are to build and using Matthew 7:24-27, the wise and foolish builder. Some of our other youth also did great jobs leading some of the singing. Thanks Craig, Casey and Aaron.

The great thing about this passage in Matthew is that it tells us WHERE to build, not WHAT to build. If we build our “house” on an unsettled or shifting foundation, it doesn’t matter what kind of house we build, it cannot withstand outside forces. If we build our “house” on a firm and solid foundation, it also doesn’t matter what kind of structure we build, it can withstand overwhelming elements. Our house could be a ranch, two-story, Victorian, walkout, log, modular, Cape Cod, Colonial, Tudor, cottage, bungalow, Spanish, A-frame, or even a dome. We may borrow from two or more styles and gain many ideas from other houses we visit, but as long as the foundation is secure and unchanging, our house will stand.

The same goes for our faith (which is really what Jesus is talking about in Matthew 7). As long as our spiritual foundation is rock solid, our “houses” may look quite different. So what “materials” are used in the construction of our foundation? Paul says it quite succinctly in 1 Corinthians when he states that his goal was to know and preach nothing except Christ crucified. Belief in Christ Jesus as THE One and Only Son of God (John 3:16). Baptism into His death, burial and resurrection (Romans 6:3-7). Justification by the grace of God alone, given to us as His free gift (Romans 3:23-24). Worshipping God in spirit and truth (John 4:23-24). Humility (Philippians 2). Service (Galatians 5:13). Encouraging others (1 Thessalonians 5:11; Titus 1:9). And, most importantly, to love the Lord our God with all our very being (Matthew 22:37) and our neighbors as ourselves (Matthew 22:39).

Once this foundation has been laid, nothing can topple our house of faith. Then it doesn’t matter if we read or listen to Charles Swindoll, James Dobson, Max Lucado, Rubel Shelley, Lynn Anderson, or Billy Graham. If our faith is founded in the core tenets of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, we can gain insight and wisdom from a variety of men like these – and we will be able to “pick the bones” out of their “doctrines” and feast on the meat of God’s word. If we are anchored soundly to THE Foundation, we may be open to new and novel ways of expressing our faith and the Gospel to others.

We may even be able to learn a thing or two from everyday, ordinary things like laundry, theme parks, oatmeal, and baseball.

“I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some.” 1 Corinthians 9:22

Laundry Day

I don’t mind doing laundry. It is not like there is a whole lot to do…you put some clothes into the washer, add some detergent and water, and when the machine stops, the clothes are clean – most of the time. Occasionally, I try to mix up some of the colors to save time or something red or dark gets mixed in with the whites with out me knowing and, well, you know what happens then. I have worn “pink” underwear or socks more than once. And it doesn’t take much, just one red sock or dark shirt and everything else in the washer is ruined forever.

So, a word of advice, be careful to keep your colors separate and don’t allow any of your other clothes to bleed over and discolor your brilliant whites.

The apostle Paul gave us the same advice for our souls. 1 Corinthians 15:33 tells us that bad company corrupts good character. Jesus gave up his very life to wash our souls a pristine white and we, through carelessness, rebellion, negligence or pure stupidity, mix a shady character, a dirty soul, into our lives and, before we know it, the dark and dirt bleeds over, making our soul dingy and gray and unrecognizable to God. So we need to protect our selves and our children from bad company and surround ourselves with only those who can encourage and build us up. Likewise, our job is not to be the red sock in others’ loads of whites, but to serve them and inspire them to stretch and reach for a closer relationship with God.

Have you sorted your laundry lately?

Fragrance

I don’t particularly care to wear cologne, much to the chagrin of my wife, who is a “fragrance model” at the local Dillards. She has been the Ralph Lauren representative for a couple of years now and our home is full of every Ralph Lauren product imaginable. It all smells wonderful; I just don’t particularly like wearing cologne. One of the court officials I work with often makes comments about some of the other lawyers who come into her courtroom and how you can smell them coming down the hall. They wear so much cologne that she won’t even let them use her phone because they leave their “fragrance” behind.

I often prefer a different smell – Downy fabric softener. I absolutely love the smell of Downy fabric softener. Not the new “mountain stream” scent, mind you, only the original “April Fresh” scent for me. I generally put in more than the recommended amount so that the fragrance lasts a bit longer. It reminds me of clean laundry. I have even had a couple of my coworkers comment how “clean” my clothes smell and how the aroma permeates my office, even after I’ve gone.

This reminds me of Paul’s exhortation in 2 Corinthians 2:14-16

But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him. For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life.

Do we wear Christ as an aroma? When other’s come into contact with us, do they smell our fragrant offering and sacrifice to God? (Ephesians 5:1-2) Do people want to be near us because we are imitators, the very reflection, of Christ? Does the fragrance linger, even after our contact ends?

Maybe it’s time to do some more laundry.

What's In Your Wallet?

We’ve all heard, and laughed/rolled our eyes at, the commercial for Capital One credit cards. We remember the catch phrase, but, honestly, I had to look it up on the internet to remember which company sponsored the ads. But it raises an interesting question.

What is in your wallet? As I write this I am emptying the contents of my wallet to find out. I have a few restaurant discount cards (because I like to eat), my Sam’s Club card, a couple of business cards for professionals I need to keep in touch with (like my insurance agent, who, unfortunately knows me all too well), my debit card, a check I wrote to reimburse someone, which I have not yet delivered, my insurance cards, library card (like I really use that one), more discount cards (I told you I like to eat), a few (very few) bucks, my social security card, license, attorney bar cards, softball schedule (after all, we need to keep focused on what is important in life), and a few pictures of my kids. Just a couple of weeks ago, I emptied a bunch of receipts from my wallet because I felt like George Costanza on Seinfeld.

Because I don’t like having a thick wallet, I didn’t used to carry pictures. They tend to take up a lot of space and it made it uncomfortable to sit on my wallet - and tended to make my pants kind of tight. After all, I needed room for the 5 or 6 credit cards I carried. I even went out and bought a certain style of wallet so that I could carry the cards and they would be more accessible and convenient, and I took out the little plastic picture carriers. It wasn’t until I realized how much problems the credit cards were causing, and after I had watched too many of those Capital One commercials, that I got to thinking about what is truly important. If I were in an accident and I had to pull out my wallet, how would I want people to identify the kind of man I am? Should they see me as a big spender or a family man? It was then that I recognized that I didn’t have any pictures of my family. Shortly thereafter, I put the pictures back in my wallet. Now when someone asks about my family, I have the pictures to proudly display on a moment’s notice. I have always been proud of my family, and now I can prove it. If I want to thin out my wallet, maybe I should like to eat less.

I wonder if God has pictures of us in His wallet? He must have a REALLY thick one.

Saying "Goodbye"

Today is a bittersweet event for the family of believers at the Central Church of Christ in Topeka, Kansas. Today we say goodbye to our youth minister of the last 6 years, Evan Burdan. Don't get me wrong, the Burdan's are not yet ready to receive the keys to the local retirement home, nor is the family, Evan, Tanya, Elias, Risa, and newborn fighter Owen, leaving Central for some far off destination to see what great adventures await, at least not yet. Evan and his family have decided to step down so that Evan can pursue his master's degree, which will prayerfully, someday, lead to the next great adventure in God's service.

Usually, I would take this time to say that we will miss their bright, smiling faces, their unselfish service, and caring counsel, but that really doesn't apply. You see, Central will be blessed to have the Burdan's around a while longer, as members - family members - because, even though Evan is officially "retired", you can't just retire from God's service. We will still get to experience Evan's enthusiastic worship leading style. They will still be available to teach various classes, maybe even together, possibly even one that does not have teenagers as students. We will still get to marvel at the melding of Canadian and Texan dialects (do they really mix?). And, yes, Evan's rubber waders and sunburned scalp may yet grace the pulpit once again. The Burdan's are still part of our family, and as family members, they will get to share in the joys, triumphs, sorrows, heartaches, and bonds that make us family.

It may be a tough transition. With Evan no longer the "go to" guy for our youngsters, it may be hard not to offer unsolicited advice, and even harder not to offer advice when asked. After all, old habits are hard to break, especially when the love for the youth runs so deep and when such strong bonds have been formed. It will be hard to say "no" to some of the requests that are made now that they no longer are full time ministers - after all, they have more time on their hands (especially Wednesday nights) - and it may take some time to find the right balance between "church work" and family. But I have every confidence that Evan and Tanya will transition quickly and will be able to weigh their priorities to utilize their talents and abilities to benefit the Central family and continue to be a powerful force for God in Topeka.

I for one, am glad that my brother and sister, my friends, will still be near. And though we may one day feel the sadness of these family members moving away to some new mission field, we can rejoice that they are only a phone call, letter, or email away, and that one day we can all be reunited in heaven forever.

"And friends are friends forever
If the lord's the lord of them
And a friend will not say never
cause the welcome will not end
Though it's hard to let you go
In the father's hands we know
That a lifetime's not too long to live as friends."
Friends by Michael W. Smith

Self Adjustment

What a pain in the neck, literally. My neck and shoulders had been sore and stiff for a couple of weeks or more. The ache may have started by an ergonomically incorrect office arrangement or sleeping wrong on my pillow, but the real problem began with my constant attempts to correct the situation myself. When my neck would feel stiff, I would "pop" it myself, sometimes a bit forcefully. I would twist my neck every which way and yank my chin from side to side hoping that some pressure would be released and I would feel some relief – but my neck got stiffer and the pain creeped down between my shoulder blades until I could find no reprieve. Now I am not a big fan of chiropractors. For the most part, they tend to pop a few joints and tell you to come back a couple or three times a week, whether you feel better or not. But I think I have found a good one. He specializes in sports injuries and tells me to come back only if it starts hurting again. So, I called and made an appointment. He massaged the muscles of my neck and shoulders and after gently stretching my neck on each side, I felt a gentle pop in my neck. Then he released some pressure between my shoulders, and after only a couple of adjustments, I felt like a new man. One thing I didn’t understand. When I told him that it hurt on one side, he adjusted the opposite side, saying that the pain was really caused by something other than what I thought. He made the proper adjustment to cure the ailment and ease my pain. It’s amazing how good things turn out when you leave them to the professionals.

Kind of reminds me of life. It is easy to get out of whack. It is natural to try to fix the problems ourselves. But when we do, we tend to aggravate the situation: the hurt increases and the predicament quickly becomes a crisis. Soon, there is nothing we can do to resolve difficulty or eradicate the dilemma. And just when hope seems to be at an end, there is a professional who can soothe the sores of the soul. A savior who can make the proper adjustments necessary to put things back in place. A healer who understands where the hurt originates and fixes its true source, as opposed to where we feel the pain. And even though we may be sore for quite a while afterward, the pain soon subsides and we find that the master Physician truly knows best.

Put your soul, your eternal life, in the hands of THE Professional.

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Rom 8:28.

Armour Hot Dogs

You all remember the Armour Hot Dog song, right?

HOT DOGS, Ar-mour HOT DOGS
What kind of kids love Ar-mour HOT DOGS?
Big kids, lit-tle kids, kids who climb on rocks
fat kids, skin-ny kids, ev-en kids with chicken pox
love HOT DOGS, Ar-mour HOT DOGS
The dogs kids love to bite!
[Revised Version] Circa 1968

Well, I went to Worlds of Fun with my 12-year-old daughter on Saturday. They had a band/orchestra contest that day and I felt like I was living the Armour Hot Dog song. You know what they say about band kids, right? (It's OK, I was one too.) Well I saw every kind of kid imaginable – times a couple thousand! There were spazzes and dorks a plenty. Goofs and geeks galore. And a healthy range of “normal” kids too. (Same goes for the adults, they were just older versions). There were people of all shapes and sizes. Those trying to act cool and those who just didn’t care. From thrill seekers (I call them idiots) riding the Ripcord, a bungee type swing where you are released from somewhere above the clouds, and the Boomerang, a roller coaster that does a couple of loops and barrel rolls…and then does them backwards, to those, like me, who prefer a more “grounded” approach to fun. Those whose main thrill in life was to win one of those twenty-foot tall stuffed gorillas – and to carry them around for the next 8 hours - and those who pinched pennies (or should I say $10 bills) at the restaurants. Some must have been vampires, who didn’t want even a hint of sun, and others let their bellies hang out (so that the smaller children could catch some shade underneath).

To say the least, I was fascinated by watching the variety of people wandering through the asphalt jungles, trying to capture a brief period of joy in a hectic world. But the thing that struck me the most about all those people, was that JESUS DIED FOR EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THEM. Whether it was someone desperately trying to act and look cool to get some attention, or someone smoking a cigarette and cussing and having no consideration for those around. The selfish and the selfless, the rich and the poor. Those without a care in the world or with the weight of the world on their shoulders. Jesus came to Earth to suffer and die for them all. He gave up His comfortable place in Heaven, as ruler of the universe, with angelic servants, to be born in a cattle trough, to live an obscure childhood, and eventually be beaten and spat upon and ridiculed for his compassion and love for each and every one of us. And now he wants all of us, popular and pitiful alike, to live with him forever.

Wow, what a God! What a Savior! What a Friend!

I Brake For...

We’ve all seen them...bumper stickers that say “I brake for…” and then add some silly saying or object, such as "moose", "tailgaters", "doughnuts", "unicorns", "redheads" (my personal favorite), "nobody" (call me nobody, really!), "just to make you swerve", or "for no apparent reason". They are limited only by the imagination.

I saw one online today that reminds me of me: “I brake for…wait…AAAH!…NO BRAKES!” My brakes have been grinding, that’s right, grinding, for the past few weeks. I have been trying to extend the life of my brakes, or what’s left of them, by trying a few tricks. I don’t drive as fast – that’s a good thing. Sometimes I shift the car to neutral ahead of applying the brakes so that there is not so much torque pushing the vehicle, and I begin braking much earlier so I can push gently to slow the momentum of the van. Still the brakes grind. It's worse than fingernails on a chalkboard. Sometimes I can feel the vibrations throughout the vehicle. Kinda gives new meaning to the phrase "drive through".

I noticed a friend’s 16-year-old daughter driving off the other day and I lamented that my daughter will soon be driving too. I thought about all the wisdom I could impart to her – a list of dos and a much longer list of don’ts, mostly coming from experience. Safety will be the number one priority for my daughter. I want to wrap her in the safest, most reliable vehicle available. Perhaps one of the local military bases has a used tank they will part with cheap. Probably one of the most important things I could tell her is to properly maintain her vehicle. Not only is it usually much cheaper to catch problems early, but it is also definitely much safer. OK, OK, I know what you are thinking: “DUH! Why don’t you take your own advice, DUFUS?!!” (Come on, I know you have been thinking this for a while.) Well, payday is right around the corner.

How often do we dispense spiritual counsel and saintly wisdom, only to ignore our own advice? Jesus asks the question like this, “How can you say, ‘My friend, let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when you don't see the log in your own eye?” Matthew 7:4. Too often we instruct our brothers and sisters how to improve their spiritual walk or how to overcome some transgression, while we struggle with the very same sins, secretly or not. At times, we wallow in the same mire, thinking we can pull ourselves out, or not really wanting to. The blind leading the blind? Sometimes, but not always. We like to think in terms of black and white, but at times we see in bright, vivid, alluring colors that cause us to intentionally blur the demarcations between right and wrong. We, like Paul, know what is right, we just don’t do it. Romans 7:15. This, in itself is sin. James 4:17. It’s good to know we are not alone.

So how do we fight back? We first need to ask for wisdom and a discerning heart like Solomon did in I Kings 3. Second, we need to realize that Father knows best. We need to realize that we don’t know everything, but God does. In Isaiah 55:8-9, God tells Isaiah, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways…As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” Only a fool rejects wisdom and good advice. Proverbs 1:7. I guess that sometimes we need to listen to God as he speaks to our hearts.

“Show me your ways, O LORD, teach me your paths.” Psalms 25:4.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to "stop" by the mechanic.

Mother's Day

It has been a long, taxing, physically exhausting last two days for everyone in my family. After working all day yesterday, I took my middle daughter to an eye appointment and then picked up my oldest daughter and headed for the ballpark for a triple header. All the while, Heather, having worked all day, headed to the store for lock-in supplies. After the ball games, Lavon and I went to the lock-in where Lavon played a few games and I prepared a short devotional lesson. Once 1:30 rolled around, I headed home with my two youngest and Lavon and Heather stayed up all night making sure 25 kids or so had the time of their lives, in a safe, Christian environment. I woke Lauren up about 7:00 am because she and I needed to be at school for a Worlds of Fun amusement park trip for her orchestra; Heather came home from the lock-in and shortly headed out for work again. We returned from Kansas City about 9:30 p.m. and the rest of the family was at the second of Lane's baseball games for today. So as we are all a bit numb, I will leave with you as a tribute to Mother's Day, a song which Heather and her sister have sung at countless weddings, including our own:

That Wonderful Mother of Mine
Lyrics by Clyde Hager. Music By Walter Goodwin

The moon never beams without bringing me
dreams
Of that wonderful mother of mine.
The birds never sing but a message they bring
Of that wonderful mother of mine.
Just to bring back the time, that was so sweet to me,
Just to bring back the days, when I sat on her knee.

You are a wonderful mother,
Dear old Mother of mine.
You'll hold a spot down deep in my heart,
'Till the stars no longer shine.
Your soul shall live on forever,
On through the fields of time.
For there'll never be another to me,
Like that wonderful Mother of mine

I pray ev'ry night to our Father above,
For that wonderful mother of mine.
I ask Him to keep her as long as He can
That wonderful mother of mine.
There are treasures on earth,
that made life seem worthwhile,
But there's none can compare to my mother's smile.

You are a wonderful mother,
Dear old Mother of mine.
You'll hold a spot down deep in my heart,
'Till the stars no longer shine.
Your soul shall live on forever,
On through the fields of time.
For there'll never be another to me,
Like that wonderful Mother of mine

I hope all of you serve your mothers breakfast in bed. Call her. Email her. Instant message her. Go to visit. Take her out to lunch. Buy her some flowers. But above all, let her know that she means the world to you and tell her how greatful you are that God gave you such a wonderful mother.

Happy Mother's Day

A Tribute to Mom

For this Sunday service, we video taped numerous kids of all ages telling the world why their mother is so special. I would like to write and tell you about my mom. She was a wonderful mother who stood strong while raising 8 kids. She had her share of a mother's suffering when she had 2 miscarriages and lost one son after only a few weeks. I loved my mom. But, perhaps I will write about her some other time.

Today, I would like to tell you about the most wonderful mother in the world! She loves her children more than life itself, and would give up anything for her children's safety, well being, happiness, and spiritual growth. You've heard kids say "my mom is always there for me". Well this is not just a figure of speech with this woman. She is literally THERE. She attends every choir, band, and orchestra concert and every play and musical - every single performance! She participates in every school activity humanly possible and even substitute teaches at the kids schools so that she can be more a part of their lives. Best of all, she attends every youth function at church that she can, just to be sure that all the kids there, hers or not, have more fun than a barrel of monkeys (although I never was sure exactly what that phrase means). Even now, though feeling worn out, having a tooth ache and a sore throat, she is helping her daughter sponsor and manage 25+ kids at an all night lock-in at church - and she still has to work all day tomorrow and attend 2 baseball games.

She is a pillar of strength and determination. She can't stand not having fun and always makes sure that everyone shares in the fun and fellowship. She dispenses sound, biblical and practical adivce like Pez, always at just the time it is needed, although the children may not want to hear it. (Don't you hate it when someone is always right?) She always has time for her friends and makes certain that their kids are treated like her own. She strives to include their children as well as her own, so that those children can have as much fun, and so that her children can develop those close bonds of friendship and family that will carry them through the rest of their lives. She gets to know her children's friends so that she can guide them to choose their friends wisely.

She is a master encourager. Even when the kids don't want to participate in some things, she prods them until then try out or audition, and the children always end up having the time of their lives. She continually puts the needs of the children above her own. She does not hesitate to stand up and fight for them when they have been unjustly treated, and she is just as quick to admonish and instruct them when necessary. She treats her kids with respect and unequivocally lets them know that they are loved and precious and that she is greatful to God for them.

Most of all, she makes my job as a father much easier. Thank you Heather, for being that Godly example to our children. May they forever arise and call you blessed.

National Day of Prayer

Today is Thursday, May 5, 2005, the day the leader of our great country has proclaimed as the National Day of Prayer. I encourage you to visit this site, http://www.nationaldayofprayer.org/index.php?action=story_page&story_id=49, and read the President's proclamation.

As we begin today, we have so much for which to pray. Here are a few:

• Our country is still at war and our young men and women are still in danger;
• Our legislators are at war with each other and we need to pray that they will put the best interest of the country first;
• Be thankful for your mother, who gave you life;
• Pray for the leaders of your congregation that they will lead you in the direction God has set out for you;
• Thank God for those who have influenced your life and set a Christian example for you to follow;
• Pray that you can have that kind of influence on others;
• Pray for your preacher that he will have the strength to deal with the hurts, fears, and problems of those he counsels daily and that he will be able find comfort while comforting others;
• Pray for those who are hurting physically, spiritually, and emotionally that they will find healing and the strength to endure and become stronger because of their ordeal;
• Pray for your children's spiritual walk;
• Pray for your children's spouses or future spouses;
• Pray for your spouse. Thank God for him or her;
• Pray for God to make you a better parent, child, employee, boss, friend, teacher and example;
• Pray for God to make you a better servant;
• Pray that we can come to know Jesus better;
• Pray for Jesus to come quickly (and be ready when he does!)

I am sure that there are many more things on your plate, and you may be thinking that you do not have time in your busy schedule to pray for all those things, but take the time to come into the presence of God. Prayer is not just something we need to do at meal times or before we go to bed. Ephesians 6:18 (The Message) tells us, "In the same way, prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare. Pray hard and long. Pray for your brothers and sisters. Keep your eyes open. Keep each other's spirits up so that no one falls behind or drops out."

"pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." 1 Thessalonians 5:17-18.

Instant Oatmeal

I love oatmeal. Growing up in the frosty, bone-chilling winters of Texas, (Hey! 60° can be cold) I looked forward to the days when we could eat oatmeal for breakfast. It was thick and hot all the way down and warmed me up inside almost as good as mom’s hugs. It was a close race between that and standing in front of the gas space heaters. As I grew older, the greatest thing happened – Mr. Quaker made his oatmeal INSTANT, and added flavors, too. No longer did I have to wait for the oats to cook. We just boiled water and poured it over the mix and, voilà, I was ready for my insides to be warmed. I thought it couldn’t get any better and, low and behold, someone invented the microwave. Now I didn’t even have to wait for the water to boil. Just nuke the water for a minute or two and I could be on my way. Now, I enjoy a couple packets of Apples and Cinnamon almost every workday morning. The doctor even says it is good for my cholesterol. And the best thing yet, we have a water “cooler” that has a spigot on it for instant hot water. I don’t even have to wait for the microwave anymore.

We now live in an “instant” world. Everything is instant, from being able to reach us by phone, to faxes, emails and the internet, and even our dinners and coffee. We have grown to be impatient over the last generation and demand an instant fix to everything, including our health. How long have doctors sought the “cure” for the common cold? This reminds me of an episode of the Beverly Hillbillies some years ago. For those of you too young to know the ballad of Jed Clampett, Jed and the clan struck it rich in oil in the backwoods of the Ozarks and his cousin Pearl convinced him that he needed to move to Beverly Hills, where the rich folks were. His greedy, and therefore extremely helpful, next door neighbor, Mr. Drysdale, was their banker, who would do anything to keep Jed’s millions in the vault. When Mr. Drysdale came down with a cold, he lamented that, with all the modern technology and medical breakthroughs, the doctors couldn’t even cure the simple cold. Granny was amazed and reported that they had had a cure for a cold for as long as she could remember – rest and plenty of liquids and the ailment would be cured in a week or two!

When it comes to our faith and spiritual well-being, we should take a healthy dose of Granny’s wisdom. Faith and spiritual growth is not instant. We struggle and grow and learn each and every day, and the journey is never completed. Paul tells the Philippians to “press on” toward the goal to reach the prize set before us – and this to those who consider themselves mature. Phil 3:12-16. Athletes never attain perfection, but have to constantly practice and push themselves and build their skills and bodies to become better. Paul had to realize that he was weak in order for God show His strength through Paul. 2 Cor 12:7-10. Even Peter, one of Jesus’ closest confidantes and one of the boldest and most confident apostles had to be corrected and instructed by Paul (Gal 2:11-21) and had to be shown a miraculous sign to learn that the gospel was for all people (Acts 10).

Remember, we ALL make mistakes (Rom 3:23), and have to learn some things the hard way. We may become mature, but we never reach perfection. No matter how far we have come, there is still a ways to go. How many new Christians have we lost because we expect them to be spiritual and strong and steadfast the moment they come up out of the water, eventhough we struggle with some of the very same issues. We all need a huge bowl of patience, sprinkled with a mountain of God’s grace and love, and someday, our spiritual ailments may be cured – in a few decades.

“Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” Phil 3:13b-14

That's Entertainment

I own several (meaning too many to know where to store them) movies/DVDs and I am always on the lookout for some of the classics – especially if they are bargain priced. As you know, I am also an avid baseball fan, so I particularly look for movies with a baseball theme. The other day I came across a true classic from 1976. Everyone I know that has ever seen it says is a truly great movie with an inspiring theme…"The Bad News Bears.” Now I had never actually seen this movie, so I figured that it was a steal at under $5, and I didn’t hesitate to pick it up. As a bonus, the film is rated PG so I thought it would be an excellent opportunity to sit down with my family to watch it.

Boy was I surprised! The basic premise of the story is that a drunken, ex-minor league pitcher is hired by a local politician to coach his son’s little league team. The kids are terrible and are uninspired to improve. The coach then brings in a couple of ringers who basically carry the team the rest of the season, one of which is his ex-girlfriend’s daughter who he taught to pitch (and to cheat while playing). I was amazed that anyone would be inspired by this film. It seemed that every other word spoken, not only by the coach but by the kids as well, was a curse word. You never see the coach without a beer in his hand and at the end of the championship game, he passes one out to each of the 10 year old kids!

Having been appalled by the movie, and seeing no redeeming qualities whatsoever, I am reminded that what we show our kids – and what we watch ourselves – can have a truly detrimental effect on our lives and our values. I remember vividly a conversation I had with my friend as a teenager about the movie, “Kramer vs. Kramer”, starring Dustin Hoffman as a divorced father trying to salvage his relationship with his son. This film won best picture in 1979 and was heralded as another truly great movie. I had not seen it and was asking my friend what he thought and his reply was both profound and convicting. His older brother was going through a divorce at the time and his comment was basically that we really need to reevaluate our “entertainment” values when we get pleasure out of watching a family in crisis suffer.

How many times today do we stop to really think about what we are watching in the movies and on television? If we examine the shows we think are “great”, “entertaining” or “funny”, we might think differently about our viewing habits and those of our children. How many of the shows are simply about sexual situations, outlandishly dysfunctional families, sinful lifestyles, disrespectful children and spouses, and those who are rewarded for illegal acts? Have we truly sat down to analyze shows like Seinfeld, Two and a half Men, Desperate Housewives, Will and Grace, The Sopranos, Friends, Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, Sex and the City, and That 70’s Show?

Don’t get me wrong, there are some truly good shows out there, such as Joan of Arcadia, that teach ethics, morals, consideration for others, and that our actions have consequences. My challenge is to steer my family to those types of shows and movies, and to truly look hard at what a show is teaching my children before we sit down to watch. I encourage you to visit some Christian review sites before blindly purchasing a ticket or turning on the tube. (See www.pluggedinonline.com/ and www.screenit.com/index1.html)

I for one will be more careful and discerning with my entertainment dollar.

“But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.” Joshua 24:15.