My “Husband” and “Daddy” Thoughts

I admit it – I LOVE being a husband and a “Daddy”! It has changed me in so many ways, and for the better. It’s helped me to give up selfish motivations and thinking only of myself, to giving totally of myself for someone else. It’s made me grow as a man and to work towards becoming the servant-leader God calls me to be as a husband and father. And I’m grateful.

As I look back on 10 years with my beautiful wife, I can’t begin to count the ways in which we’ve been blessed. Add to that the blessing of two amazing children that the doctors told us weren’t even possible, and I am humbled by God’s many blessings.

Now, that we are expecting a third child, and a boy, I am thinking again about how my life is going to change, and I know it will be for the better. The other night, as I tucked my girls in after telling them stories, I thought, “The days of it being ‘just the four of us’ are rapidly coming to a close. What will our family be like with a new member in it?” Family, by definition is about change, even if you don’t add another family member to it. Because people change – they grow up, go off to school and raise families of their own. And all that change can be scary some times, especially when a new member is on the way!

Isn’t it wonderful to know, that with all the changes and adjustments that husbands, wifes, mothers and fathers (and children) have to make – there’s one thing that doesn’t change? God’s love for me though His Son will never change. His faithfulness to me and my family will never change. His forgiveness and His grace will never change. That’s just awesome!

Knowing that, I can face the uncertain future and imminent change with trust and hope – because I know the One Who holds the future – and my family – in His arms. That’s what makes it okay to be a “Daddy” again – because I trust my Heavenly Father is taking care of me and my family, no matter what changes come my way.

Psalm 31:14-15a “I trust in you, O LORD; I say, “You are my God.” My times are in your hand.”

And You Thought YOUR Annual Meetings Were Tough!

Last Sunday, we had our Annual Congregational Meeting at Redeemer, and what a time we had! Things got so rough at one point, our congregational president was in dire straits – bound and gagged by the voting body!!

Things got so heated that even Pastor Jim was forced in to KP duty!!

Actually, this year’s Annual Meeting was the best ever!! We had a PHENOMENAL turnout – I’ve never seen it’s equal. Our awesome DCE, Michael Harvey, led a devotion showing how we “tie up” our ability to reach out to others by the ‘what ifs’ in life – ‘what if I have to go out of my comfort zone?’ ‘what if I have to try something new?’ ‘what if I have to step out in faith?’ And our trusty president was our living illustration of that, using a chair and duct tape!

The end result of yesterday’s meeting was a bold and faith-filled resolution: to have EVERYONE at Redeemer actively involved in the life of the congregation by 2012!!

Impossible, you say? Well, there was a time in the Bible where God’s people were faced with an even greater challenge:

Nehemiah 2:17-18 “Nehemiah said to the people of Israel, “You see the trouble we are in: Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned with fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be in disgrace.” Nehemiah also told them about the gracious hand of God that was upon him and that the king had commissioned him to rebuild. The people replied, “Let us start rebuilding.” So they began this good work.”

Ezra, with the Lord’s help, had rebuilt the temple in Jerusalem. But a generation later, Jerusalem was still in ruins and deserted. In Nehemiah’s day, when a city had no walls, it had no defenses. God’s capital city was a ‘sitting duck’ to every invader in the land.

So, Nehemiah decided to do something about it. He went to the king and asked that the task of rebuilding be left to him. And with the king’s blessing, he went off to face an incredibly Big Hairy Audacious Goal.

Nehemiah was given the task of building a stone wall around Jerusalem for protection. That alone was a Big Hairy Audacious Goal but there was more. Invaders were coming – that was a Big Hairy Audacious Goal

He didn’t have enough people to help him – that was a Big Hairy Audacious Goal

He had Israelites undermining the task – that was a Big Hairy Audacious Goal

He didn’t have enough resources – that was a Big Hairy Audacious Goal

He didn’t have enough time – that was a Big Hairy Audacious Goal

But he did have the LORD. And because he trusted the Lord to conquer these BHAGs, he had each person work on the section of stone wall that was in front of their house – and they finished in record time.

Yesterday, we looked at a BHAG of our own – active involvement in the life of our congregation. But when God’s people – His ‘living stones’ – come together by the Grace of Christ to work in His Kingdom – who knows where the Lord will provide new and exciting opportunities for Redeemer! Praise God for faithful people in this place who want to share a faith-filled message!

Lord, we know that unless You build the house, it’s laborers build in vain. May we not see obstacles, but opportunities – to build and to labor – for Your Kingdom and for YOUR Glory. Amen.

Thoughts On Winter…

Yes, I’m back after a lengthy absence! This Fall was really busy, and then Winter snuck up on me so my blogging was on life support. God willing, I’ll get back to it on a more regular basis!

Since I’m from Texas, when Winter hits in the great white North, I’m often asked how I’m managing. So, to satisfy the curious, here’s the wisdom I’ve gained after three years of Minnesota winters…

1) DO NOT wait over 24 hours to shovel your driveway and sidewalk! The sun does a little thing called ‘melting the snow’ during the day, then at night the colder air freezes it. Then the next batch of snow arrives and you end up with a layer of ice you couldn’t break up with a jack hammer – and it lasts all winter! Shovel often and much to avoid this problem, unless you like ice skating to your front door.

2) DO NOT snow blow your snow in to the street! I had a nice chat with a city snow plow driver this weekend, who politely informed me that to do so risks a $100 fine, a potential accident from passing cars and a lawsuit against my homeowner’s insurance. Snow blow all snow on the existing lawn and not in to the street to avoid any problems with the long arm of the law (and thanks, snow plow guy, for not citing this uninformed Texan!)

3) DO NOT snow rake during high winds! I tried this a few days back, and after I finished, all the snow from the top of my roof got caught up by the wind and fell down to the exact spot I had just raked. Bummer. Wait ’till the wind dies down, and in the mean time, have some hot chocolate.

4) DO NOT over-layer! My first Winter I layered my winter clothes until I looked like a tick about to pop – and I roasted to death! So, when I finally took my multiple layers off, I froze from all the cold air hitting me. Wear a little less layers than you think, especially if you’re snow shoveling. And if you shave your head like me, wear a cotton cap that breathes (no neoprene) so you don’t hold all the heat in – cooking your brain while you shovel and making you think little snowmen are doing a cabaret number in your front lawn (not that this has ever happened to me).

5) DO NOT miss an opportunity for extra refrigeration! Putting ice cream out on the deck is a great way to keep it cold, unless it’s -12 outside, then that’s a bit counterproductive, and you turn your ice cream in to a giant brick that needs to thaw before you can cut in to it. The same rule applies to other items. One thing you never do – leave Cokes out on the deck. They have a unique habit of blowing up after 45 minutes, but they leave a beautiful “frozen pop collage” on your siding.

6) Snowbows are cool! I never saw one until yesterday, but if you have enough wind that kicks up snow in the atmosphere, and the sun melts it just right, you get a rainbow in the dead of Winter – a Snowbow, for lack of a better term. My daughters thought it was really pretty.

Any other tips / observations about Winter that I’m missing? Until next time, stay warm and hold on ’till Spring!

Happy Rally Day!

Hard to believe, but Rally Day is approaching this Sunday! I’m excited! I really miss everyone, since most folks were on Summer vacation our out of town excursions. The kids were off doing their various activities – in short, the narthex got kind of quiet! It was so exciting yesterday – the new preschool had it’s first day. Confirmation classes, handbells, and choirs started up again. And this Sunday we will be blessed to have Pastor Gillard, our missionary to Africa, speak about the many opportunities he will have to share the Gospel.

If you haven’t found your ‘niche’ yet, come by the Church office and find out what many things are waiting for you here. There’s so much to celebrate in the Body of Christ – we’d love to have you be a part of it! And if you have an aptitude for Handbells, we’d love to see you. Don’t worry, the tryouts aren’t near as strenuous as in the link below!

Handbell_Hero

‘Boys Fans Getting “Double-Dipped”?

I thought this one was strange. I read a post on Yahoo! News about Arizona Cardinals brass taking it upon themselves to do something I’ve never heard of before – and hope never to hear of again.

Apparently, they would like more Cardinals fans to show for their Cardinals vs. Cowboys match this season, and to do so, they are requiring Cowboys fans to purchase, not only that single bout game, but the next exhibition game ticket. In other words – if you’re a ‘Boys fan, and you want to see that game, you’ll need to buy TWO tickets!

What is wrong with this line of reasoning? You can’t get the home crowd to support their team, so you’ll punish the visiting team’s fans by ‘double-dipping’ them? How absurd!

I suggest that ‘Boys fan boycott the game entirely – then see if those who sit ‘on high’ will appreciate having to turn on the lights for the waterboy to watch the Arizona Cardinals get crushed by the ‘Boys! Here’s a thought, Arizona brass – if you want your home town to show up for the game, try producing a “W” now and again.

Here’s the link to the article, if you’re interested:

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/rumors/post/New-ticket-plan-aims-to-keep-Dallas-fans-out-of-?urn=nfl,94980

The Lutherans Song

You’ve heard “The Hanukkah Song” by Adam Sandler…Now get ready for “The Lutherans Song”!!

from www.youtube.com posted with vodpod

Foundations That Last…

I’m always amazed at the things some parents say about raising their children. Things like, “I don’t want to push religion off on my kids. I’ll let them decide that stuff when they get older.” I find that very interesting, because from what I’ve seen, parents manage every other aspect of their children’s lives because they love them and want the best for them.

When I wanted to play baseball as a kid, I started off at the tee-ball level. My parents encouraged me and supported me. And when I got discouraged and wanted to quit, they wouldn’t let me. They made me attend practice and work on my swing and it made me a better ball player. And in the end, I was a better person for it. I moved on to High School and VFW leagues and that sport taught me a lot about perseverance and sticking it out. My parents’ encouragement in that one area helped to lay a foundation that furthered my education and even my career. But all of that will only do me good in this life.

My parents cared even more about my eternal life. They took me to church from infancy. They taught me night prayers. They lived out their faith and participated in the life of the Church, not just dropping me off and picking me up for “church stuff”. They warned me of the evils of this world and the Presence of a Loving God who sent His Son to die for me. They laid a foundation of faith that I have passed on to my children. There’s nothing on this earth that could compare with that.

You could give every material comfort there is to your children and still not give them what they really need. They need a Savior. And they need you to tell them about Him.

Here’s one mother who has done just that – laying a foundation in her daughter’s life that will last…

from www.youtube.com posted with vodpod

All The Way To The Bank…

I just read something unbelievable today. A-Rod, who plays for the Yankees (BOO!) is pulling down $28 Million for his salary. Here’s the kicker. The entire Florida Marlins ROSTER is pulling down $21.8 Million! That means A-Rod could pay the Marlins’ salaries and still be sitting on a little over $6 Million.

And you know what the sports writers are moaning about? How cheap the Florida Marlins owner is.

Say What!?! Let’s look at this logically:

- The average MLB player pulls down $3.15 Million a season. The greatest earner for the Marlins is $2.5 Million. The complaint from “on high” is that the Marlin roster is “underpaid”.

- The Yankees are spending more than any other team (again) this year – $209 Million.

- Yet, ironically, the owner of the Marlins (with MUCH less funds) scored a 2003 World Series ring. The Yankees’ last one was in 2000 (with MUCH more funds).

Remember the days when players played baseball for the love of the game – not the amenities and the endorsements?

If anything should be lamented, it’s not the “short changing” of the Florida roster, but the overblown salaries of A-Rod and the Yankees squad.

In fact, we should be lamenting the overblown salaries of every player in the MLB. If any Florida player is unhappy with their $2.5 Million salary, I know of many who would be happy to relieve them of it. In the mean time, I see no reason to laugh at the backwards reasoning behind the salary whining.

Except for A-Rod, who’s laughing all the way to the bank.

When I Survey The Wondrous Cross…

I love Holy Week. It’s an incredible time to reflect on the cost of sin. I find it interesting that our world LOVES Easter…bunnies, colored eggs, a new “Sunday-go-to-meetin’” dress or suit, your “Easter Bonnet”…but the world HATES Good Friday!

Why? Because, while you can “sugar coat” Easter, and turn it in to thoughts of Spring and Bunnies, there’s no getting around what Good Friday is all about: sin. Adam and Eve’s. All mankind’s. Yours and Mine. And the incredible cost of the forgiveness of sins: the Son of God’s very life.

The world doesn’t like to look at Good Friday, because Good Friday means “Accountability”! It means the world must reconcile itself to God and hates the idea of it. And folks in the world, by nature, hate the thought of it. James 4:4 “…don’t you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. “

Thank GOD that He didn’t leave us as His enemies! He acted – sending His Son to atone for the sins of the world. This is why there is beauty on that ‘wondrous cross’…on a Friday that was and is ‘truly Good’. It reminds us of the incredible cost of sin and the immeasurable love of an incredible God!

1 Timothy 3:16 “Beyond all question, the mystery of Godliness is great: He appeared in a body, was vindicated by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was preached among the nations, was believed on in the world, was taken up in glory.” Amen.

Old Man Winter…

Folks keep telling me that this is a true Minnesota winter…snow storm after snow storm…cloudy gray days…-35 wind chill. No wonder some folks get depressed around this time of year!

However, I’ve learned how to make “lemonade out of lemons”:

- Tired of shoveling? Get a snowblower! I finally got one for Christmas, after begging relatives to give nothing but cash for Christmas. Two years of saving, and I’ve got a beautiful 5.5 horse Toro. She’s a thing of beauty and it makes me smile to watch her destroy those drifts with extreme prejudice!

- Sledding with the kids is fun, walking up the hill to do it again – not so much.

- Tubing rocks! Went with the youth group at Camp Omega to do that. It was even fun going up the hill with the rope pulley system!

- Snow icecream. Mom’s recipe made for good times.

- Free “cold storage”. Need to chill something but don’t have the freezer space? Old man winter’s got it covered.

Reminds me of a Miller Lite ad I once saw…

Hang in there…Spring’s Comin’!