I have been contemplating the strange situation that exists for me in finding inspiration in writing/speaking for most of my ministry. Some call it writer's block, lack of inspiration and just a plain lack of ideas. Since I make my living largely from speaking/writing, this is a weekly challenge. Especially when you have been speaking weekly in the same place and to some of the same people for 23 years, seeking out new things to say can become a daunting task.
Take for instance holidays. Something as wonderful as the gospel Christmas story or next on the calendar, the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, can become challenging to communicate in a fresh way. The challenge to be fresh is for my own sake, not to become monotonous or uninspired as well as for my listeners. The Sunday to Sunday sermons, er, I mean talks, are less so, but have their moments as well.
In my experience it mostly lies with the decision about what to talk about, whether writing or speaking. Once I determine what I am going to talk about, it is off to the races. I can spend days contemplating and praying about what to communicate with great intensity and then in a moment, I decide and my typing fingers can hardly keep pace with my thoughts. It is amazing to discover what is in inside that you don't know is inside you.
Of course, there is the years of content from reading my Bible through each year, reading widely from books to newspapers and one of the more overlooked sources, listening to what people are talking about. Once the determination is made about what to talk about, the stored up content of scripture, current events and current topics come flooding the the forefront from who-knows-where recesses of the mind.
It is an amazing dynamic. You can stammer around for days thinking you have nothing to say until you find out you do. Once the right thought, topic or event has the attention, a seemingly empty brain becomes flooded to overflowing. For preachers it is determining what we believe God wants said. For others, it is tapping into a personal passion or fascination.
Writing for a blog is an exercise I think would be good for everyone, whether or not anyone else reads it. It is good to allow some of what is on the inside out. You would be surprised that once you pierce the dam of ideas that has had no outlet, it quickly becomes a torrent of words and thoughts.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
You, Wealth and God
“And if you are untrustworthy about worldly wealth, who will trust you with the true riches of heaven?” (Luke 16:11, NLT)
It has been said that to keep friendships, a good rule of thumb is never to talk about politics. I think that money is a more sensitive subject myself. Why? I suppose it is different for each person, but I suspect that the most common reasons are, we are afraid that someone is out to get our money, that if people knew how we spent our money they would disapprove, we might feel inferior if people knew they made more money than we do or, if we make more money than someone else they might think differently of us.
It is my personal opinion that God wants to bless His people in every way, one of them being with wealth. However, before He does that, as the above verse implies, we must demonstrate our ability to be trustworthy with what He has given us. I think the following verse gives us a lot of insight to this:
1 Cor. 10:13 (NKJV)
No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.
I know we don't often think of this verse in regards to God trusting us with more money, but I think it is easily illustrated that some people in regards to their money do not handle it well. Why would God want to give us more of something we do not handle well? So, He keeps us at a level we are able to bear.
On the positive side, when we demonstrate trustworthiness with money, God is able to bring more of it our way. The Parable of the Talents speaks to this point (Matthew 25:14-28). Make no mistake here, Jesus is talking about money, not a "talent" like playing the flute.
Frustrated with your financial situation? Run a checklist on your financial habits. Do you avoid debt? Do you tithe? Do you support missions? Do you save a portion of your income? These questions and others are a way to measure whether or not you are trustworthy enough for God to allow additional wealth to be entrusted to you. Answering NO to any of these questions will spell limitations on how God can upgrade your financial status. Remember, when we are faithful with a little, God gives us the green light to be trusted with something greater.
John's greeting in his third epistle, "3 John 1:2 (NKJV)
Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers." Gives us the key. Want to upgrade your prospering? Upgrade your soul. How do we do that? Obedience. Avoid debt. Tithe on your income to the Lord. Give generously to missions. Save a portion of your income. As your soul prospers through obedience in your finances you will see a corresponding prosperity in that area of obedience.
It has been said that to keep friendships, a good rule of thumb is never to talk about politics. I think that money is a more sensitive subject myself. Why? I suppose it is different for each person, but I suspect that the most common reasons are, we are afraid that someone is out to get our money, that if people knew how we spent our money they would disapprove, we might feel inferior if people knew they made more money than we do or, if we make more money than someone else they might think differently of us.
It is my personal opinion that God wants to bless His people in every way, one of them being with wealth. However, before He does that, as the above verse implies, we must demonstrate our ability to be trustworthy with what He has given us. I think the following verse gives us a lot of insight to this:
1 Cor. 10:13 (NKJV)
No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.
I know we don't often think of this verse in regards to God trusting us with more money, but I think it is easily illustrated that some people in regards to their money do not handle it well. Why would God want to give us more of something we do not handle well? So, He keeps us at a level we are able to bear.
On the positive side, when we demonstrate trustworthiness with money, God is able to bring more of it our way. The Parable of the Talents speaks to this point (Matthew 25:14-28). Make no mistake here, Jesus is talking about money, not a "talent" like playing the flute.
Frustrated with your financial situation? Run a checklist on your financial habits. Do you avoid debt? Do you tithe? Do you support missions? Do you save a portion of your income? These questions and others are a way to measure whether or not you are trustworthy enough for God to allow additional wealth to be entrusted to you. Answering NO to any of these questions will spell limitations on how God can upgrade your financial status. Remember, when we are faithful with a little, God gives us the green light to be trusted with something greater.
John's greeting in his third epistle, "3 John 1:2 (NKJV)
Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers." Gives us the key. Want to upgrade your prospering? Upgrade your soul. How do we do that? Obedience. Avoid debt. Tithe on your income to the Lord. Give generously to missions. Save a portion of your income. As your soul prospers through obedience in your finances you will see a corresponding prosperity in that area of obedience.
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
My To Sent Rant
Maybe it is just me, but there is an increasing irony in this day and age of compounding ways we communicate. Actually, it may not be increasing but with the vastly increasing ways we communicate it may be that an already embarrassing situation is being exposed. What I am I about to rant about? I don't know if there is a technical term for it but it does seem there is a deplorable case of poor written grammar of crisis magnitude.
This may have always been the case with the great unwashed. But with all of the Twitter, FaceBook, blogging, etc., etc. going on, people who fancy themselves communicators (they used to be pastors, speakers or professionals in some sense) expose their awful grasp of grammar. An example? OK.
Just yesterday I spotted a sporty, good looking communicator posting on FB. He's got the style, he's got the dash, he is important and in demand. However, he should not be doing his own status updates. He was informing all that, "I am on my way across country sitting next to my daughter on the plain." Really?
Oh, I know, don't get my panties in a bunch. I could let something like that go, but especially for those whom people must trust and put confidence in and esteem as competent, this sort of thing is embarrassing like an open fly with a shirt tail hanging out in front of a crowd.
There are too many examples to list, but some of the more common and pervasive grammar errors are as follows. In number one place is the use of "your" in place of "you're". Did everyone fall asleep in class the day they covered contractions? In number two place is the use of "there" instead of "their." Possessive pronouns must be suffering an identity crisis. In number three place is the use of "here" for "hear" or vice versa. Please. This was humorous back in the day, now it's just the norm. You might as well have a blacked out tooth and a cowlick to enhance your perception of competence.
The saving grace in all this? Most people don't even notice. Since the problem is so widespread it isn't even noticed as a problem. If you ever mention the awkward correction to an offender, most of the time I have found, they don't even care. They are so pragmatic that to them if it sounds the same, it is the same.
I enjoy bits of history and sometimes read a handwritten letter that thanks to the internet and PDF files, you can see the actual document on screen. In most of the documents from the early days of our country, especially in the 18th and 19th centuries, the handwriting would pass for calligraphy today. Not only are the words beautiful in form, but the content is articulate and eloquent as well. I would think most people today would think our forefathers were a bunch of hayseeds but that label certainly applies to us. Just read the preamble of the Constitution of the United States. Tell me, who can keep pace with such language as high art?
I suppose I shouldn't be so hard on everyone. My downfall is punctuation. At least most bad grammar offenders spell the wrong word correctly most of the time. That may be more attributable to spell check than competence, but we'll score one on the positive side so you don't think I am just a grouch.
So, I can't wait to ride on a plain at knight, feeling the piece of God while hereing worship music on my iPod waiting to get their. Thanks for reading my rant, I think your awesome.
This may have always been the case with the great unwashed. But with all of the Twitter, FaceBook, blogging, etc., etc. going on, people who fancy themselves communicators (they used to be pastors, speakers or professionals in some sense) expose their awful grasp of grammar. An example? OK.
Just yesterday I spotted a sporty, good looking communicator posting on FB. He's got the style, he's got the dash, he is important and in demand. However, he should not be doing his own status updates. He was informing all that, "I am on my way across country sitting next to my daughter on the plain." Really?
Oh, I know, don't get my panties in a bunch. I could let something like that go, but especially for those whom people must trust and put confidence in and esteem as competent, this sort of thing is embarrassing like an open fly with a shirt tail hanging out in front of a crowd.
There are too many examples to list, but some of the more common and pervasive grammar errors are as follows. In number one place is the use of "your" in place of "you're". Did everyone fall asleep in class the day they covered contractions? In number two place is the use of "there" instead of "their." Possessive pronouns must be suffering an identity crisis. In number three place is the use of "here" for "hear" or vice versa. Please. This was humorous back in the day, now it's just the norm. You might as well have a blacked out tooth and a cowlick to enhance your perception of competence.
The saving grace in all this? Most people don't even notice. Since the problem is so widespread it isn't even noticed as a problem. If you ever mention the awkward correction to an offender, most of the time I have found, they don't even care. They are so pragmatic that to them if it sounds the same, it is the same.
I enjoy bits of history and sometimes read a handwritten letter that thanks to the internet and PDF files, you can see the actual document on screen. In most of the documents from the early days of our country, especially in the 18th and 19th centuries, the handwriting would pass for calligraphy today. Not only are the words beautiful in form, but the content is articulate and eloquent as well. I would think most people today would think our forefathers were a bunch of hayseeds but that label certainly applies to us. Just read the preamble of the Constitution of the United States. Tell me, who can keep pace with such language as high art?
I suppose I shouldn't be so hard on everyone. My downfall is punctuation. At least most bad grammar offenders spell the wrong word correctly most of the time. That may be more attributable to spell check than competence, but we'll score one on the positive side so you don't think I am just a grouch.
So, I can't wait to ride on a plain at knight, feeling the piece of God while hereing worship music on my iPod waiting to get their. Thanks for reading my rant, I think your awesome.
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Solitude
First of all, to anyone who might have even noticed, I have been off this blog for quite awhile. Like everything that gets disrupted it has been a combination of busyness, forgetfulness and at times a lack of inspiration. However, sometimes a break is good for all involved and I will try to at least be a little more regular in my posts.
I find when I seemingly can't find any inspiration for something to talk about, it really isn't true. All I really need is to identify something for which I have something to say. The problem is, I didn't know I had something to say about it. But once it comes to my attention I can hardly type fast enough to keep up with my thoughts. Something of such has been nagging at my mind trying to get enough attention to become a topic of conversation with me. It is the frequency with which I encounter those who claim to be bored.
I see quite often on FaceBook or some such public offering of inconsequential and meaningless details of life, a single entry on someone's status: BORED.
Honestly, I can't imagine it. I am rarely truly bored, and when I think I am, I can get over it pretty quick. There is always something to do, somewhere to go or a blog post waiting to be written. What I think is more often the case is the "bored" confuse anxiousness and restlessness with boredom. Being bored to me says you have abdicated your ability to think for yourself. I also think especially in this present age that we are confused with moments of not being entertained with boredom. Who can be truly bored when we have so much at our disposal? Things to listen to, watch, the rapidly expanding options with which to communicate are all before us. On my phone of all things, I can communicate with texts, email, FaceBook, Twitter, blogs, a number of ways I haven't even had the inclination to explore and, oh yes, I can actually talk to someone. And that is just my phone.
I think the difference in being bored or not bored is the ability to be by yourself successfully. Not everyone I am discovering can do this. To one, being by yourself is to be alone. To another it is solitude. They are not the same. Being alone is terrifying. The single most hellish part of Hell will be the profound aloneness those who choose go there will realize. Not even prayer will penetrate the blackness of Hell. No ability to reach out to anyone or anything, for help, hope or company. Grim indeed. True boredom is a preview of such.
Solitude on the other hand is far different. It is not a state of being bored or even alone even though you might be by yourself. In solitude, I can pray, I can think, I can wonder, question, read, rest, recharge and renew. I am not afraid to be in solitude. I actually like myself for company. And too, I am never truly alone. I am in contact with God. He did promise never to leave or forsake. Who can be bored in the presence of the Creator of everything? To be bored is to deny the existence of God in the present. You might believe in God, but to be bored is to deny He is anywhere near. You cannot be bored in the presence of God.
The next time you are thinking of letting the world know of your updated status with the single word: BORED, reconsider. It is true or is it telling you something else? Have you lost your purpose? Are you in spiritual desertion, denying the reality of God in your present? There are plenty of options be being bored. Boredom is giving up, being dependent upon something external to keep us entertained. A recent study of those who have suffered a traumatic brain injury depriving them of use of limbs and the ability to speak revealed something interesting. Living with "Locked In Syndrome" and only being able to communicate through eye blinks, they have found a way to thrive. A majority of those who were surveyed were able to communicate that they were happy with their lives. Imagine that! And so many who have everything available to them, the full use of their bodies allow themselves the luxury of boredom.
We can do better.
I find when I seemingly can't find any inspiration for something to talk about, it really isn't true. All I really need is to identify something for which I have something to say. The problem is, I didn't know I had something to say about it. But once it comes to my attention I can hardly type fast enough to keep up with my thoughts. Something of such has been nagging at my mind trying to get enough attention to become a topic of conversation with me. It is the frequency with which I encounter those who claim to be bored.
I see quite often on FaceBook or some such public offering of inconsequential and meaningless details of life, a single entry on someone's status: BORED.
Honestly, I can't imagine it. I am rarely truly bored, and when I think I am, I can get over it pretty quick. There is always something to do, somewhere to go or a blog post waiting to be written. What I think is more often the case is the "bored" confuse anxiousness and restlessness with boredom. Being bored to me says you have abdicated your ability to think for yourself. I also think especially in this present age that we are confused with moments of not being entertained with boredom. Who can be truly bored when we have so much at our disposal? Things to listen to, watch, the rapidly expanding options with which to communicate are all before us. On my phone of all things, I can communicate with texts, email, FaceBook, Twitter, blogs, a number of ways I haven't even had the inclination to explore and, oh yes, I can actually talk to someone. And that is just my phone.
I think the difference in being bored or not bored is the ability to be by yourself successfully. Not everyone I am discovering can do this. To one, being by yourself is to be alone. To another it is solitude. They are not the same. Being alone is terrifying. The single most hellish part of Hell will be the profound aloneness those who choose go there will realize. Not even prayer will penetrate the blackness of Hell. No ability to reach out to anyone or anything, for help, hope or company. Grim indeed. True boredom is a preview of such.
Solitude on the other hand is far different. It is not a state of being bored or even alone even though you might be by yourself. In solitude, I can pray, I can think, I can wonder, question, read, rest, recharge and renew. I am not afraid to be in solitude. I actually like myself for company. And too, I am never truly alone. I am in contact with God. He did promise never to leave or forsake. Who can be bored in the presence of the Creator of everything? To be bored is to deny the existence of God in the present. You might believe in God, but to be bored is to deny He is anywhere near. You cannot be bored in the presence of God.
The next time you are thinking of letting the world know of your updated status with the single word: BORED, reconsider. It is true or is it telling you something else? Have you lost your purpose? Are you in spiritual desertion, denying the reality of God in your present? There are plenty of options be being bored. Boredom is giving up, being dependent upon something external to keep us entertained. A recent study of those who have suffered a traumatic brain injury depriving them of use of limbs and the ability to speak revealed something interesting. Living with "Locked In Syndrome" and only being able to communicate through eye blinks, they have found a way to thrive. A majority of those who were surveyed were able to communicate that they were happy with their lives. Imagine that! And so many who have everything available to them, the full use of their bodies allow themselves the luxury of boredom.
We can do better.
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Maybe It's Time To Simplify Christmas
One of the conversations I had while I was recently with my brother was about his family's insistence to keep birthdays and holidays in perspective. He said that they actually purchase few gifts in comparison with so many others. What they focus on are family experiences. They actually practice what they say they value in keeping holidays, even Christmas, pretty simple and doing fun things together as a family. Wow, I always think of doing that but it seems I tend to cave in and buy things to avoid feeling cheap and stingy. Mind you, I don't buy things just to buy things, I always want to provide something that is wanted and hopefully needed in some way. But what if we all scaled back a bit on the stuff and spent more time doing some intentionally planned family event? I bet the memories would last longer than the stuff! Think about it, be brave and try it!
Here are three suggestions to apply it:
1. Focus on traditions rather than things.
When I look back on my fondest memories, they're always about the traditions we've enjoyed as a family. What would Thanksgiving be without turkey and dressing and pumpkin roll? What would Christmas be without the reading of the Christmas story, our tradition of making the kids wait until Mom and Dad are up before playing with or opening ANY presents, or driving around looking at the Christmas lights while sipping hot chocolate and playing Christmas carols on the radio? Christmas for my family is a time to celebrate being with each other, not celebrating the latest gadget, toy, or gizmo.
2. Do Christmas your way, not the marketers way.
Why let "a December to remember" cause you financial pain and stress for the next 60 or 72 months? The pressures that Madison Avenue places on people this time of year is something they should be ashamed of. There's absolutely nothing wrong with giving something far more valuable than things - give your time. Take some time to visit people who are shut in. Take some time to play with your children ... down on the floor. Teach someone what you know: cooking, playing the guitar, knitting a sweater, or painting a landscape. Invest your most precious asset - time - into those you love the most.
3. Create a new gift giving tradition.
Some people only give gifts that are hand made. The materials can be bought, but the finished gift must be hand made. Try it with ornaments if you're not ready to go "New Yankee Workshop" or try the Magi Christmas tradition: three gifts and three gifts only. There is a Victorian tradition that says each person should get "something they want, something they need, something to wear, and something to read.
Don't let the stress of the season ruin the meaning of the holidays.
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Kara Brown May 9, 1988 - November 30, 2010
This past Tuesday, in the early morning, my niece, Kara Brown passed from this life into eternal life. My brother and his wife, have been battling this blood disease with Kara for the past three and one-half years. How they have managed to maintain their lives and keep strong relationships going with their other children and be healthy themselves is a testimony to how strong faith can be in times like this. Their commitment to fulfill Kara's wish to die at home was amazing. They took training (which after three and one-half years they already knew the drill) to administer medications to keep her as comfortable as possible and were not willing for others to care for her when they could themselves. Kara was never alone.
The Lord allowed JoLynn and me to arrive in time to see Kara, speak to her while she was still responsive. It was a privilege to be there and watch my brother care for her with such amazing tenderness and responsiveness. My esteem for him is even greater than it was before. It was simply amazing.
Through the week, it was such a blessing to have so many people send emails and flowers letting us know they were feeling the loss of Kara even though they had never met her. Bethel Church, the Assembly of God congregation in Chehalis was especially kind in offering the use of their wonderful facility and preparing a generous dinner for all the guests afterwards. This lifted a tremendous burden by the family not having to make these arrangements while they were making other necessary plans and with family members arriving.
The memorial service was such a great event, so many people came that the line for signing the guest book extended out the doors and around the building so far that they just took the guest book away and allowed people to come in and fill the sanctuary to capacity. Kara touched so many lives it is difficult to imagine without seeing all the doctors, nurses who came that gave her care, students from her high school that she mentored, church friends, community friends, work associates and all who took the time to come, some from other states just to be there to honor her memory.
In the end, the disease conquered Kara's body, but it never conquered her spirit. She remained funny, spunky and positive to the time where she could no longer respond. She was a fighter to the end.
Our great comfort in all of this is knowing she is with Jesus and no longer trapped in a body stricken with disease. She is on the "other side" with many of our friends and family members who have preceded us. It will make it all the more sweeter to see her again when our time comes.
One of her final quotes will stay with me a long time, "The only day wasted is a day not spent in serving the Lord."
Monday, November 15, 2010
So Thankful
I wanted to THANK everyone who was part of this year's Christmas Shoebox effort! Thank you to each one who took a shoebox, went to the store and filled it with fun things and returned it to the church! Thank you to all the ladies who came and packed the boxes and got them ready to take to the Post Office! Thank you to Pam Clark for spear heading this effort again this year! Wow, that is 8 BIG boxes of fun things our missionaries, Linda and Brian Staub will be able to reach out to the village of St. Michael with! We have included the Book Of Hope for each age category as well as warm hats that were knitted for each person.
We did not think to keep a list over the several years we have been partnering with Alaska missionaries, but the places I can remember sending boxes to are: Emmonak, Tetlin, Beaver, Angoon, Ft. Yukon and perhaps other places. Some villages we have sent boxes to more than once.
I know from personal greetings from our missionaries how appreciated these gifts are when received in the villages. This is a great example of true partnership with our missionaries as they endeavor to minister to the least reached people of our enormous state. Each box is a message of love and generosity and....HOPE!
God bless all who have made this effort so rewarding again this year!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
