OLD(ER)

We are getting old(er). Pop stars that we grew up with are dying. I have watched some of the coverage...and have read some of the thoughts of my friends on Facebook. Michael Jackson's passing this afternoon has struck a nerve....

Why? Because we are getting old(er).

Many of us who grew up in the 70's remember the Jackson Five. We remember the ever- changing music landscape and how it really reflected the cultural changes of the day. And for those of us born in 1958, we remember MJ being a superstar young adult, who got really wiered after he became famous. His was a troubled life. He had the talent, the fame, and the money. And the heartache ( no pun intended .) The last 25 years were bizzare at best.

I listened to a Doctor who was asked, "Isn't 50 really young to suffer a cardiac arrest?" The Doctor said, " No, it's not, it's actually pretty common."

Hmmmmnnnnnnn.... We are getting old(er). 50 doesn't seem that old...and in many ways it's not... Honestly, I like 50. But I am seeing the things my parents have seen for years. Contemporaries of thiers have been dying for years. Now, contemporaries of mine are dying too. Guess that is called getting Old(er).

So this begs the question for all of us.... Are we ready to leave this world and get on with the next? Psalm 90:12 says, "teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom."

We ought to figure this out. After all.......

We are getting old(er).

THE END OF THE BREAK....GOOD TIMES

It's been a good vacation. Lots of sun, water, time with Pam and Abigail. It will have been 14 days when we get back. Pam and I believe that is the longest vacation we have taken...

Some observations....

ANYOMINITY is a nice thing... at least for a while... Here I am just another dude walking around with his shirt off (not a great visual I suppose). I need that from time to time.

Because of TECHNOLOGY, it is hard to completely get away. I checked my email WAY too much, was on Facebook more than I wanted to be... and along the way asked a few more questions about church than I should have. And guess what???? The church does quite well without me. (You would think I would have that figured out.) Maybe that is the biggest "learning" from a vacation for me.

I have done alot of WALKING , which has been hard because of heat and humidity. But I persevered and kept after it.

The hardest parts of vacation are the three days before and the three days after you get back. Most of us have jobs that have deadlines that accomodate vacations, but do not give into them. We work hard to get ahead before we go, and then we have to work hard to catch up when we get back. Just the way it is.

I appreciate vacation because there is an start and end. I also appreciate the fact that I get vacation, because it means that I have a job. In 2009, that is a big deal.

I have appreciated this vacation because we really had no schedule....so I read alot.

VACATION READING LIST
- The Essential Church- Ranier
- Beyond Megachurch Myths- Thumma
- The Three big questions for a Frantic Family- Lencioni
- Pistol ( Biography of Pistol Pete Maravich)- Kriegel
- God Built- Steve Farrar
- Bible- (just parts of it)

It has been alot of reading...Most of it work related... but pretty good stuff...What did I enjoy the most? PISTOL was really good.. I am a basketball freak...so reading this book was fun and interesting.

One other observation... Life goes on, even when you are on vacation. Rock and TV stars die...and so do many others. Church members get difficult diagnosis from doctors, politicians confess thier affairs, governments under go revolutions, the stock market goes up and down, and LIFE GOES ON.

When I get back, I will jump back into writing, preaching messages, working on vision and the exciting future of First Christian Church, loving my wife, kids and granddaughter, and working harder to establish relationships with people outside of the Kingdom...And along the way, I want to build a stronger relationship with God... ALL PART OF LIFE...

It has been a very much needed break...God blessed us...

STRONGER....

Charlie

Vacation report

Technology confuses me until it blesses me. Today I got to e-chat with Abigail who was in Phnom Penh Cambodia. It was a nice surprise. She arrives back in the states Sunday Night. I think it has been an incredible experience for her.

Joel has arrived in Portland Maine. On to sports Camp tomorrow. I know that he is so excited to have something to do, after being unemployed for the last 7 months. I was grateful to God for saftey in travels ( about 3400 miles). And I don;t believe they stayed a night in a hotel. They had lots of friends strategically placed.

So, here I am in Panama City. Someone asked "why two weeks?" It takes me a week to decompress...to relax... and to enjoy things. I feel that after 5 days, it is happening... no real schedule, no demands to speak of... lots of reading... time on the beach, or in the new Pier Park which is really cool.

We watche Paul Blart, Mall Cop tonight... pretty funny.

I say a vacation is a something where you can do what you want to do, when you want to do, how you want to do it. I can be pretty anonymous here in Florida, which is really nice...Sometimes, living in a smaller town, and pastoring a larger church, makes it harder to go out to stores, or restruants and not be stopped. Don't get me wrong...I like connecting to people...but there are times when I feel like being anonymous is something that is refreshing.

So it is going goood.... reall good...

Two much?

I have become quite conflicted over all this communication technology. I have a cell phone, that allows me to access my office email account at almost any time I want. I have a lap top computer, which has WiFi capability, thus making me accessible to almost anything I want. I have developed the ability to Text on my phone. That is handy...it is almost always to our kids, or to Pam, and a couple friends. Then I got on Facebook. Mostly to spy on church members..but I post on there every so often. It is amazing that people I know not know want to be my friends on Facebook. Hmmmmmnnnnnn... I used to think you needed to know someone before they became your friends. Now, I am also on Twitter. Although I have not figure it out... It just seems to me to be a "sound-bite" kind of deal where you tell people what you are doing ( some are much more transparent that I ever would be), what you are thinking... and what others are telling you. You only have 142 characters to use in this, so it has to be brief.

All of this is okay...some of it is interesting... I enjoy getting a glimpse into people's lives...but the flip side...not so much. I am too much of a control freak. And gues what? On My vacation I have my computer, phone, texting, facebook, and twitter.. That's a problem.

On a happier note... I am far away from O-Town... on a white Sandy Beach for the next 12 days. What will we do? Pam and I will walk, read, lay around on the beach, check out some of the cool things in Panama City... not answer the phone unless it is one of our kids... and in general, just veg. But I also look forward to some quiet time where maybe God can work on some things in my life. So lots of bible reading, prayer, and some solitude.

The last time we were here was 3 years ago... just a couple months after the stroke. I feel alot better this time around. I still hit the wall... and when that happens, my speech slows down...I labor for words.

I am not near as verbally conversant now. Pam has had to live with someone that she could never shut up to living with someone who might only utter 10 sentences in a 15 hour drive. Lots of quiet...( I really am content to listen to music, or Pam talk). She misses the old charlie... and so do I. But it is what it is...

More from Pamana City later this week.

PRayers

Tomorrow morning, Abigail gets on a plane and heads to Cambodia for two weeks.

Pretty amazing... first that she would go....Second ...that i would let her.

But I saw God's hand in this from the first time Abigail told me last fall... I saw his hand in her fund-raising... and I saw it in her eyes as she worked this spring with a group of girls at College Heights Christian Church. She has a passion to help young women.

I always thought she would be the star athlete....basketball especially. And she was good. But she was better at Volleyball. Played in High School, and then played in College ( Made 2nd team all-region). But all along, it became clear that ministry was where she was headed. So this year, along with working two jobs, carrying 16-17 hours of school at a really good GPA, she also helped in the ministry at College Heights.

She packs more activity into less time than most. She is disciplined, loving and caring. She loves God, loves Mom and Dad, Loves her guy ( tyler), and her brother and sisters. And she will love her new team and the people they serve across the world.

Pray for her...For protection, strengthen, peace, and a hope-filled time sharing the love of Christ.

Pray for Pam and I. Abigail is a long ways away. Joel is driving from Portland Oregon to Portland Maine... And we are traveling for most of the next three weeks.

I am thankful that God can keep up with all of us, including Lydia, James, Elizabeth, Nathaniel and Gracie.

Thanks for the prayers

WIPEOUT

I once heard Wayne Smith, then the Senior Minister of Southland Christian Church in Lexington Ky. talk about his Sundays. After preaching multiple services on Sunday Monring and then again Sunday night, he would come home and his wife would want to watch "In Touch" with Dr. Charles Stanley. He did not think that was all that great, although Stanley was his wife's "favorite" preacher. He told us that when he comes home after a long day, he did not want to see Stanley, but preferred seeing Clint Eastwood as Dirty Harry, say, "Go ahead, make my day."

So today has been long... the whole week has been long... Many meetings...some counseling, lots of thinking and dreaming about the future, and writing a sermon, thinking about future sermons... then two sermons this morning,,, visiting a Life group this afternoon and then off to FIGHT NIGHT tonight. All of it was good... but it drained me more than usual.

This is all a pace of a day I think that i can handle until I actually do it... and then I get a sick feeling... the "wall" is fast approaching and I crash... It was too much. I have crashed... I have this feeling of being closed in...words slow down, and some words do not make it from my brain to my mouth. Sentences are harder to complete. It is all a sign that I have gone too far. This week felt alot like some of the weeks before strokes three years ago... you know the kind where you don;t feel like you have control over much, you are reacting to lots of crisis and the energy is flowing out of you...

So I get home, through on some shorts... start thinking about my next week...decided to watch some TV...nothing on ( basketball finals begins Thursday). Oh , there is Hockey... now that looks like a treat! NOT!

So we finish off the TNT movie ( TWISTER). and then hit the DVR button... What is left to watch from the previous week?

Well, it is highly spiritual. It is uplifting... No, it is not Charles Stanley, or Dr. David Jeremiah... ( I like them both) No, on this night its not Dirty Harry..."

The winner is.... WIPEOUT.(ABC).. That is no conincidence since I am totally wipeout. That is about as mindless as you can get at the end of the day. And it will help me shut it down. Sometimes that is what I need.

I am shutting it down this week , hibernating, writing sermons, study guides from Moses and basically going to get two weeks work done in one...so that I can be gone for 3 1/2 weeks. One week in Chicago... 2 plust weeks on the North Florida Coast.

But for tonight, it is about watching people make total fools of themselves by trying to navigate a obstacle course that is impossible to conquer. Now that is entertainment.

Got to Go.... they have the slippery course coming up...looks cool.

Charlie

GRACIE'S BABY DEDICATION

This weekend we celebrate Mother's day. Always a fun day. But this year it is a little extra special. We will be leaving in a little bit to go to Fayetteville. Tomorrow, Nathaniel, Elizabeth and Grace will participate in a Baby Dedication at Fellowship Bible Church.

Baby Dedications are really special. At FCC we used to do them once a year. We would bring a boatload of babies, moms and dads up on the stage, ask a couple questions, and pray. But three years ago we started doing them individually. This is a special moment for the family and the church.

Either way, this is important. There are three committments in a baby dedication. One is the committment of the child to God. Every child conceived is a gift from God. ( Psalm 139). Every child is special, and holds special promise for joy and happiness . But, I believe that God puts us on the earth for a purpose. And the discovery of that purpose begins with parents saying, "God we know this child comes from you, and that he/she is YOURS."

Second, there is a committment of the parents to God. This dedication is a public step of committment to raise the child to love God and love others ( Mt. 22:37). When parents stand before God, family and congregation, they are saying, "we dedicate ourselves to be examples of Godly living, to raise our child to know God and His Son Christ, and to follow His commands."( Deut. 6)

There is a third committment. It is often overlooked in many instances. It is the committment ot the Church family to assist and support mom, dad and child in this monumental task of raising children. So in our dedications, there is a part where the church family is asked to committ as well. We take it seriously.

When we began to have children, 26 years ago, we prayed that each one of them would love God and love others. All four of ours do. Now, there is another generation. And our prayer is the same.

We could not be more thankful that Gracie's parents love God and love others... and we know that with their committment, the committment of their church family, the committment of their extended family and the blessing of God will result in a wonderful young lady being used by God to "make up there come down here."

A COOL DAY....

Over the past three weeks , we challenged our church to bring food to stock our Community Care Food Pantry. We have been giving out alot of food over the past 12 months. There is a big need for people who are finding themselves squeezed by economic realities. So today was the day, and the front of the stage was just FULL. I loved seeing people bring their food sacks in. From Senior Adults, to very young kids, they brought the food in and put it on the stage.

Why was this important?

1. It is the responsibility of the church to reach out and feed those who need food. The church can do a great job with this, if we take it seriously. There are lots of other things that our small groups and classes do for people. But this is something everyone can get involved in.

2. I love the idea of getting the church involved in this. We could go buy food, but that does not give us "buy in" with the congregation. We could go door to door in the neighborhoods and collect food. That's not a bad idea, but why not just ask the church to bring it? We did and they did.

3. We need to give people of all ages opportunities to GIVE. It's not just about money in the offering plate. We want to expand this aspect of stewardship to show people there are lots of ways to give. Food, time, encouragement, prayers, love, and so much more!

4. We needed a "tangible" way to show people that we have resources that we want to share. God has blessed us, and in turn, we believe that we are to be a blessing. We want to bless our church family and our community. This was just one way we could do this...

I thought our church family responded in a fantastic way. And I know that we will continue to do so.

One other side note... today at the end of services, we prayed for 7 people that will be part of our FCC "GO" Teams for this summer. We will have people in China, Thailand, Honduras, and Cambodia this summer ( there may be more!). Again, this is a way to give to the work of the Kingdom of God. Some great stories there.... stay tuned.

Hmmmmmnnnnnn.....

Is it a pandemic?

Is it Swine flu or N1H1 virus?

Do we have enough medicine to fight it off?

Should we go to Mexico?

It may be serious. It certainly bears watching. We should pray for those that are sick, and do what we need to be healthy. ( Like wash our hands.)

But the best line I heard was from my friend Vince.

" The problem with 24 hour news channels is that they have to manufacture news 24 hours a day, and there isn't that much news."

I think I like his thinking.... What would happen in the world if we only had a newspaper to read in the morning? Wait a minute... it used to be that way.

Feedback

Changing times... I was thinking about how Facebook provides some immediate feedback on a sermon, paper, article, or just a subject that a person writes about..

It is the day of immediate feedback....Is that always good? Do we get feedback that requires little thought? Do we actually mull over things, let them incubate in our soul, or do we just react? And when we are looking for feedback on Facebook, or in a blog, do we consider what is going on someone's life when they give feedback? It is pretty hard to read facial expression, or hear tone of voice....

By the way, I am growing to like technology...We used SKYPE to talk to Gracie and her parents. That's cool...

Back to the feedback.... what do you think?

Your ATTITUDE makes a difference...

Rick Rusaw leads a dynamic church in Longmont Colorado. He recently wrote the following to his church... I thought it was really good.

"Hi, how are you? Welcome to the men's restroom." These were the words that the small crowd of guys heading into a restroom heard. "Thanks for coming to the restroom." This was in a busy public place, and I can tell you by the response from most, it was not what you expected. This gentleman was the greeter of the Charlotte International Airport men's restroom. His job for the airport was to greet you as you used the restroom. I'm pretty confident it was also his job to keep the place clean. There is an unspoken rule among guys, and that is, you don't speak in the restroom-not to anyone. Except, when you are answering questions from the only other guy in the place, only to discover he was on his phone and not talking to you-that's another story.

In this restroom everyone was talking because everyone was caught off guard. Our greeter had changed the atmosphere. Michael was exuberant, he was smiling, he was proud of his work. He even offered breath mints or mouthwash as you were leaving. The rule is, never turn down a breath mint-but that's another story. I thanked him for thanking me for coming, and he said in return, "Thank you for thanking me-for thanking you for using the restroom."

He liked his job. His bright smile and great attitude almost made me want to go back again before I got out of the airport, which as I get older is becoming more the norm-but that's another story. You can change your place and your environment, with one tool-attitude. Your smile, your greeting, and your attitude can make the stinkiest of places different in a moment. Whose world needs to be brightened a bit? What place needs you to make a difference? I can tell you one place that doesn't-but you would have to go to Charlotte to find it. By the way, if you find greeters this week at the restroom doors, you'll know where I got the idea!

I like the his statement in the last paragraph. "You can change your place and your environment, with one tool- attitude. Your smile, your greeting, and your attitude can mke the stinkiest of places different in a moment."

As you go to church tomorrow, or to work on Monday, or as you hang out in the house, or as you wander out to the soccer or baseball field for what seems like the tenth time in a week, you bring something with you EVERY time.... your attitude. Check it out , make sure your attitude is the same as that of Christ Jesus ( Phil 2).

Matt's Most Excellent Idea

Wednesday nights have changed ... It used to be I taught or preached each Wednesday night. Sometimes it would just be Bible Study. Other seasons it would be more of a worship service and then a sermon.

But this last fall we shifted to a strategy that included small groups on Wednesday nights, ( along with home groups on almost every day of the week) and small groups and classes on Sunday mornings.

Maybe one of the toughest things for me was answering the question, "What would I do on Wednesday nights?" Its taken a while, but I think I am figuring it out. I hang out and talk to people. Doesn't seem like alot... and at first, I thought it was not productive.

But lately, it has begun to fit a little better. For instance tonight... I talked with a lady I had never met before, whose two sons come to Glimpse. Good conversation. I talked with a family who attends FCC with their two daughters. They are really cool people, and I think we are friends. I talked with a guy that I like alot...just touching base on how his life is going and what God is doing.

I talked to 4 skateboarders in the parking lot, gently ( yes I was nice and gentle) about how I don't have anything against them or their skateboards, but they really can not do it in the parking lot in and out of cars. Why? Because they would get run over and I would have to be the one to go tell their parents that their son was killed in a church parking lot. ( I thought I had gotten through to them...but as I headed to my car they were climbing on the PODS at the end of the parking lot...I presume it was to make a jump.... I yelled- loud ... sorry guys)

I talked to a small group of 3 couples.. Chris, Morgan, Eric , Lacey, Bobbie and Liz are some of the coolest people around. All in their 20's they study the Bible, support each other, are masters at reaching out to other young couples, and have some of the most mature attitudes I know. They are servants in the church...totally engaged in the life of the church. They are teachers, computer dudes, electricians, moms, dads, and just really good members of the church. I left that conversation feeling really really good about our church and its future. Thank you God!

I talked to a friend of 15 years who has been blessed by God in his business. He and his wife are super parents, great committed members of the church, servants, and people who take thier roles as parents of a bunch of kids very seriously...loved just talking life with him.

I talked to a two couples who are older than me by alot. But they are some of the "youngest" people I know...and they love the church and all the youth there on Wednesday nights.

I also got to sit in on Glimpse. The place was packed, the worship was great...and it was really good to see all the adults in there who are investing their lives in these teenagers. COOL!

I loved doing that. It is especially good because on Sunday Mornings, I hardly get to talk to anyone. So Wednesday nights have become very productive for me... It allows me to connect to lots of different people in a relaxed manner...

THANKS MATT....Great idea

Hero's

Listen to the news, read the newspapers, click on the internet... in 2009 it all seems like bad news.

So some good news is always welcome. Hero's are pretty welcome sights during this "tough time." Three hero's came to my mind today... just kind of popped in there.

One is Captain Chelsey Sullenberger of US Airways. On the plane that landed in the Hudson, this man of few words simply said to the passengers, "brace for impact." They impacted allright... and everyone lived. Along the way, the Captain was the last one off the plane...checking to make sure that everyone else was off the sinking plane.

HERO LESSON: Be the best at preparation, pay attention to the tedious instruction at work, and you never know when it might all come into play in one "defining moment." Do your job, and do it well. Hey, if you are on that plane, aren't you glad he and the rest of plane's crew were paying attention in pilot school? Heroic actions come at the interesection of preparation and confidence.

Two is Captain Richard Phillips . He's the captain of the ship that was taken captive by Somali Pirates. He traded his own life for that of his crew, spent days in a life boat, often with a gun pointed at him. Navy Seals rescued him and he was eventually brought home to a Hero's welcome. But honestly, he wanted nothing to do with it. He said, "the millitary are the real hero's, next time you see a soldier thank them. " Then he took his wife's and said, "We want to go home and spend time as a family."

HERO LESSON: Courage is cultivated in the quiet times when your soul is shaped by what you believe about yourself, and those you serve. It seems to me that in one "defining moment" Captain Phillips thought the best deal was "you take me, turn them (the crew) loose" and we will figure this out. " That's courage that he did not summon up in one moment... it was a character decision forged in much quieter times.

The third one is Susan Boyle. She is the 47 year old English Spinster that competed in Britain's edition of Idol... Britain's Got Talent. It was a long day for the audience and the judges. They were tired, and had seen some terrible acts. Out comes Susan and she tells them that she wants to be a singer. People in the crowd snicker, judges writing her off before a note is sung..."let's get through this one"... Well, she sung her socks off...and got unanimous support from the jugdes, and an apology from Simon Cowell of all people, for dismissing her before she even sang... And over the weekend, other recordings of her songs have appeared... if everything is on the up and up, she is no one hit wonder. You will be hearing from her.

HERO LESSONS- If you don't believe in yourself, no one will. Follow your dreams. Be ready when the call comes and you find yourself on the stage of your dreams. And then after it is over and the so-called experts act all astonished about what they just heard... let them know you knew you had it in you... you just had to get someone to look past the outside to what was waiting to burst out from the inside. And keep saying that all the attention won't change you!

All three of these people, from different walks of life, remind me of something very important. There is a little bit of hero in all of us. A kind word, a prayer, a annonymous gift, a smile, or an email that just says, "you are worth it.".... all of those make hero's out of us. We don't do those to become known as a hero, but we ought to set out each day, to lift someone up...

There is alot of bad news in the world...but thank God for some hero's who teach us what it means to spread a little news along the way. Be a hero to someone today. You have it in you!

Easter...

EASTER REFLECTIONS....

-Rainy Day....but our First Touch Team was awesome.
-Record #'s of people- but evenly distrubted services (3 of them)
-Really great worship time- great mix of upbeat, special songs and some quality reflection time
-Repsonse from people who came- very positive.

Lots of people worked really hard to make it happen. From those who spent hours at the property on Saturday, to Worship Teams who were there for 6 plus hours, to First Touch, Children's and EC people- all of them invested heavily in the day. I love our people.

I think that Jesus was good with it all... The focus was on Him.

The day after- tired. So its a day off...doing little things around the house, lunch appointment and class tonight. It will take a couple days to feel normal again. (Whatever normal is.)

The Monday after ressurection day 2,000 years ago???? What a day for the disciples of Jesus! Wow.

WWJD on Easter?

QUESTION: If Jesus lived in 2009, what would he be doing on Easter Sunday?

Just a question... At staff mtg. today I asked that question... I have been thinking about it this week. I figure that he would celebrate His Ressurection... I guess. But maybe he would do more than just go to church.

Someone said to me this week, "Well, you are getting ready for the biggest Sunday of your year, right?"

From an attendance standpoint... Yes.

From an opportunity standpoint... ( to reach new people), its a big deal.

But I cringe when I hear that... Every Sunday is a big day to us.

Can I confess something? It's pretty easy for all of us on staff at our church to miss Easter. Many of our staff are so busy planning, putting teams together, developing services, writing messages, and anticipating potential problems (weather, check-in, enough communion, plenty of bulletins, timing of services, parking, visitors, and so much more) ... that it is very possible to miss what Easter is all about. We are not bad Christians. We are not spiritual midgets. We care about all the people that will come... and do come every week. But honestly, we could learn alot from Jesus about crowd "control", messages, and what is really important on a day like Easter.

So thinking about what things Jesus might do on that day...keeps me on track.

By the way... I love our staff... their heart and dedication to the Kingdom is unmatched in my mind. And I think through it all, each of them will find a way to really celebrate Easter.

Anniversary's

Last night, ( April 3) Pam and I went out to celebrate our anniversary. The actual anniversary is April 5, but just like 28 years ago, that falls on a Sunday... and we are pretty busy on Sundays.

So, we went out last night. Before we left the house, Pam gave me my "present." It is a CD of favorite songs of ours. She told me that she had been working on compiling the songs for years. Abigial helped her get it on a CD. What a great gift... a treasure for sure.

So we jumped into our car and went to Tulsa. We had reservations at PF Changs. ( not exactly Taco Bell - that was our first anniversary ), but it was good. It was one of the many prom nights in Tulsa, so the place was packed full of high schoolers in formal attire. Before we ate, we explored Utica Square, sat and talked on a bench... it was all so simple and nice. A GREAT night.

It would be hard to let April 3rd pass by without considering another "anniversary." Three years ago, I had a stroke. Not such a good feeling... its been a long road back, two steps forward and one step back. But there have been constant people in my life that have made it alot easier.

Pam has been wonderful. Can't say enough about the burden a "care-giving" spouse has to bear. She did not sign up for this... but then again I guess 28 years ago, she did. There are exciting things ahead for her in life...we both know it and can't wait to see how God unfolds it all.

Our kids have been incredible. Lizzie, Joel and Lydia were gone, off to college or on with thier lives. But they have been so supportive and understanding. Abigail was in High School, so she saw the day to day. It was scary for her. So what a blessing last night when I got a text from her celebrating the fact that I was alive... I think the whole thing was such a surprise to all of us. Three years later, our lives have moved on. There are husbands, a boyfriend, new places of residence and a granddaughter. And no matter what, they let me know how much they love me.

First Christian Church... what can I say? They have treated me the way a million other pastors would wish their church treated them. Patience, understanding, space... I get to preach, lead and kind of pick my spots... alll with no fear of what others will say. The Elders have been amazing to me. I could not be in a better spot.

Friends. Whether they just are people I can talk to, or staff members, or buddies who just want me to keep plugging away... they are there. I have needed several of the over the past three years.

God has been great to me. Three years ago, I was not in a healthy place on several fronts. Its still a battle on some, but I am better. Occassionally, there are reminders that I am human and I need to take care of myself.

Getting back to health has been a priority over the past three years. But where would I be, if 28 years ago, I had not stood in front of family, college friends, and a church in Superior Nebraska and pledged my love and life to Pam? From that day on we have been faithful to each other and faithful to God. He has given us every blessing we deserved ( do we really deserve any?), and a ton that we don't.

And even if there are days like April 3, 2006 in my future, I am still way better off than I could imagine... because on April 5, 1981 two lives became one.

I look forward to the "next day." I hope it ends up being another 10,220 days. But even if it is only 1 more day, I have had an incredible life, with an incredible woman...

Thanks be to God.

Moses- Leader with Faith and Humility

I have started a study of the life of Moses for the Summer of 09. I like character studies,becuase they remind us that God uses all kinds of people, in his own way and time, to accomplish his purposes.

Moses was the Deliverer... but he was so much more. He was a humble man. He was scared at times. He did not believe in his ability to convinice Pharoah, to let the peoeple go. He felt inadequate as manager of large groups of people. He had an anger problem at times. His leadership was constantly criticized. He disobeyed God and it cost him something very precious. (the honor of going into the promise land.") He got to spend time face to face with God, and then go down the mountain and confront the sin of the impatient people. I have read through his life... don;t see alot of down time once he turned 80. That was a hard run into the last 40 year segment.

If I were going to study 5 hero's from the Bible I would study, Abraham, Joseph, Moses and David and Jesus. Those are the top five in my book.

Right now I am outlining the books of Exodus and Numbers...along with some refrences in Hebrews 11. All in preparation for 10-11 sermons and 12 study guides for the summer.

You learn alot about God by watching how He works through other people.

I am thankful for a church leadership and staff who gives me the time to study for a series like this...

Real Life meeting faith...it works

Being from Oklahoma has somewhat insulated us from the harshest realities of the economic downturn. Here in the heartland we are not seeing the wide-spread layoffs that are hitting the Northeast, West, Southwest and Upper Midwest. It may get worse, but for now it is more like a trickle, instead of a flood.

But we are seeing people in our church who are being laid off. It doesn't matter whether it is you, or a 100 people, it is still scary to get the paperwork. When Joel was laid off last November, he said that he was so surprised and shocked... They were putting papers in front of him and telling him to sign them. He was numb.

Imagine what it is like for someone who is married and has children. Joel is single and in pretty good shape as far as obligations. But lots of people are not. It's scary.

I saw an email that one guy in our church wrote to his small group this week. He talked about how he would be laid off today. It was kind of scary, but he knew that God would take of him and his family (including a baby on the way.)

So what did he do? He emailed his small group. The email is one overflowing with faith. But it is also a signal that they have a group to call on if they need help. He ended his email with a quote from 2 Cor 4:8-9 and these words, "I will praise Him in the hard times!"

We will help where we can, along side of the groups. We are being blessed now as a church for times such as these. If you have lost your job, let us know... we want to help.

This is where real life meets faith. And it works!

On another note, Pam and I went to an open house for Pregnancy Resource Center. It is really growing influence in our community. There is a strong vision, great leadership and a desire to care for people. They have expanded thier facilities and they are making a difference.

It is another place where real life meets faith. And it works!

A member of our church lost his brother suddenly this week. His small group was on it, before I even knew about it ( And I knew within about 2 1/2 hrs). There is a group of people who will minister better to him and his family than I can. I will do my part...but the group is where the consistent support and love will come.

It is another place where real life meets faith. And it works!

We want to be a real life kind of place, full of grace and love, support, honoring the truth of God's Word and using those things to build faith into the lives of people. Sounds exactly like what the church should be doing.

THREE THINGS...

MARCH MADNESS- going very well for me... see previous post... Proud of the OSU Cowboys!

NAIA-Steve Mowery and I went to KC for the NAIA Championships ( 24 games in 3 days). Love it! And we got an added bonus... we took a chance and went to the Sprint Center, bought two tickets and got to see OU-Morgan State. ( Yes, I saw the flip...It was just as bad in real life as on TV.) Great time with a great friend.

CHURCH- The BAGGAGE series has been awesome. It has also been the most draining series of sermons I have done in a long time. People have so much to deal with... and preaching about Anger, bitterness and guilt surfaces alot of things. I think I most pleased with the fact that people look to God to help them with these kinds of things. I have said the same thing every week...."If you allow bitterness, anger, or guilt to take up residence in your life, it makes you tired and weary. And even worse, after a while, you begin to think how you feel is normal and how it will be for the rest of your life."

Galatians 5:1- "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free."

Good Stuff...

March Madness

Here it is... the predictor of March Madness. I am not an expert in Basketball, but I know a little about it. And it sure beats talking about the economy....

Round 1 Upsets- Not too many limbs to climb on in this round...
- Sienna (9) over Ohio State (8)
-USC (10) over Boston College ( 7)
-Texas AM ( 9) over BYU (8)
-Maryland ( 10) over Cal (7)
- Mississippi State (13) over Washington ( 4)
-VCU (11) over UCLA(6)
-Butler ( 9) over LSU (8)
- Western Kentucky ( 12) over Illinois ( 5)
- Michigan ( 10) over Clemson (7)

Round 2 Upsets
- Fla. State ( 5 ) over Xavier ( 4)

Round 3 upsets
Gonzaga (4) over UNC (1)
Kansas (3) over Michigan State ( 2)
Wake Forests ( 4) over Louisville ( 1)

Round 4
Pitt Vs. Duke- Pitt
Gonzaga Vs. OU- OU
Uconn Vs. Memphis - Memphis
Kansas vs. Wake - Kansas

Final four

Pitt Vs. OU- Pitt
Kansas Vs. Memphis ( rematch of 08 national championship)- Memphis

Title Game
Pitt Vs. Memphis- MEMPHIS

there you have it... Should be interesting...