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...

Oh boy.....

I am going to wade into "deep yogurt" here. I am no expert... but have a thought or two.

It's this AIG thing. I understand that the government bailed them out last fall because they were "too big to fail." I understand that salaries and bonuses are hot buttons today and get people all riled up. I have watched for the last 2 months or so at how the "government " has been outraged at what has been happening in some of these banks and insurance companies. Today, I listened for a bit as Congreessmen and Senators, and even the President said, "We will figure out a way to get that money back, even if we have to tax them (those that got the bonuses) at 90%.

WOW.... here is my problem. Several ( I am being generous here) of the administrations top financial people , along with tax legislation writing congressmen have been accused of dodging personal income taxes over the past few years. Only when they were nominated to the cabinet, or called on the carpet by regulators did they come clean and pay up. Hmnnnn..... and now they are screaming bloody murder about AIG bonuses?

Don't get me wrong... I am not a big fan of 1 million dollar bonuses. ( I never have received one.) This is not the time to be doing that... bad PR.... I think that there would be some better uses of the money.

But , if they are contractual in nature, and have been agreed upon before this current crisis hit ( and that seems to be the case), then what is the big deal about? A year ago, the climate was different. I kind of doubt that someone at AIG woke up in mid-feb and said, "Hey I think I will shell out 165 million dollars of the tax payers money, to a bunch of my buddies at work, some of whom do not work there any more."

What bothers me more is the idea that Congressional members are trying to write laws that would TAX 90% of that money to recoup it. If they will do that, then where will it stop? Talk about "trickle down economics." Pretty soon we will taxes go up on everything , even for the middle income kind of guy...all in the name of "making things right." That is code for "wealth re-distribution." And no matter what anyone says, when the wealth get re-distributed someone gets rich. Its generally the guy who did not work for it.

This gets personal if the government decides to take their new found power to "make things right" and tells me that I can not preach on passages in the Bible that stand against homosexuality ( and if it begins there, it will never stop until Biblical Christianity is legislated out of existence in this country.)

I see this desire to use "power in legislation" to re-shape our country. It is scary.

I am not all that political in nature... I generally try to stay out of these kinds of things... I rarely if ever, write about it. But this Sunday I preached about "Dealing with Bitterness". At the end I talked with people who were dealing with bitterness toward family members, toward employers, even toward God. But one guy really caught my attention. I respect this guy so much and have grown to love him. He told me how good the messages in this "Baggage" series have been, and then he told me he had a problem with bitterness... toward the people that are running this country into the ground right before our eyes.

I thought it was a very transparent and sincere thing to say. He really wants to guard his heart.

There are days like today when I think, "He could be right... and we could be watching it all happen right before our eyes."

I am not smart enough to know whether that is exactly true or not. But I do know that if our government can write legislation in the name of "making things right" that will tax anyone any amount they deem "right", allowing them to dip into our wallets, and to leigslate our own moral beliefs, then this is really not the United States of America any more.

Our hope???? Turn to God...Put our faith and trust in Him. For in the end, all of this will be hay and stubble, and all that will remain is our faith in God and trust in His Son. I believe God is in control and in the end, he will use anyone, anytime to draw people's hearts and mind back to Him.

Charlie

PS . MARCH MADNESS HAS BEGUN.

I will post my final predictions tonight.

Something to think about...

Interesting little battle going on in California. Last fall, voters supported Proposition 8, which basically stated that marriage was a union between a man and a woman. 52-48%. So those who held an opposing view, that marriage is a civil right for all people, including same sex "couples", went to court. The issue finds itself before the California Supreme Court this week.

Pundits don't know what to do with this. Beyond the obvious question, there is one that I think goes to the heart of the battle.

Here it is...

If the majority of the people say that marriage should be between a man and a woman, what do the proponents of same sex marriage do next? In other words, if they don't the answer they want from the people, they go "above their heads" to get what they want.

So they go the the courts. And they put their trust in their belief that the justices on the state supreme court know better than 52% of the people. This is not a constituional thing. Those who supported Prop 8 followed the letter of the law and constitution in California. They took it to the people... and the people have spoken. But that is not good enough.

( It is an age old problem..remember when you were a kid??? You would ask your Dad, and when he said, "no", did that stop you? No way... you figured out how to spin the question a little different, avoid having to answer the question, "Did you ask your father?" and then get a different answer from your unsuspecting mom. Don't deny it... we all did it)

Now, while I agree with this "form" of referendum politics... and think it has a place in our culture, It does not have a place in this arguement.

California politicans ( not just them, but many politicians in all locales) have made one fatal mistake. The people are not the final word when it comes to moral issues such as same sex marriage. The judges are not the final word either.

In our country, it is all about "majority" rules. That is our country. And in many cases it works. But not in these kinds of cases. There is a higher rule of authority here... And the problem is that sometimes the majority is wrong...

Ultimately the final word is the Scriptures. Bottom line, God has always said that marriage is a union between man and woman. He has consitently condemened homosexuality as a sinful lifestyle, something that people choose to do.

Leaving moral decisions like this to votes or to judges is bad leadership. You have to go beyond what a group of people feel. Because they may feel different next week. Circumstances change... emotions change...and the next thing you know, your perspective changes. Then the rules change... and you are well on your way to chaos.

Going to judges is no better, in large part because they are humans. They are susceptible to changing views, emotions and circumstances.

It is a kind of viscious circle that our founding forefathers could not have anticipated. Don't like something? Vote on it. Is the new law unconsittutional? Ask a judge. Do we need to have a new law? Let the legislature write a new law Don't like the solution? Ask a judge.

It all might work today if we had the same standard of truth that they had back then. The Holy Scriptures. But we don't... so we vote, ask, rewrite, find someone that agrees with me, and then say, "They are the final word..." But they aren't the final word, or someone else will find their own "final word."

We need a standard of truth that sets us straight on how to live in a way that is honoring of our Creator and good for us. That is the Bible... I put my trust in what Scriptures say about all things. I think scripture is pretty clear...

Today....

Today...

I preached two services about the Samaritan Woman (John 4)....

I talked to a woman whose son suddenly died two months ago. I did not know about it... she said it was the first time she had been in church since it happened. She said it was hard to come...but the message of hope helped her....My heart broke for her...

I talked with a guy whose mom is in the hospital...He just lost his Dad last fall... she is going to be OK.

I talked with another woman who has been diagnosed with cancer in the last two weeks. She encouraged me, not the other way around...They stayed all morning to serve in the Welcome Center. Here they are dealing with this...and they are telling me how exciting it is to see the new families and to help them get to the places they are supposed to go....

I talked with some people visiting who have been wounded at their church. They just need a place to kind of hide and heal....I said we would be that for them...I doubt they are leaving their church, they just need some space....I hate it when any church has to go through this kind of stuff.... We have been there...I know what it is like...

I talked with a woman who is bringing her neighbors, even though she has been coming just a few weeks. She has a burden for her friends who are going through rough times right now... she believes she has found a place for them to get help....

I met with a room full of new people checking us out in Discovery class. 15 faces I had really never seen before. But they are coming, wanting to know about this church, about our ministry and how they can engage. Cool stuff....

I talked with a guy that said our staff is awesome. ( He is right.) We have a staff that is really "jelling" right now. We are not perfect, make lots of mistakes, but we love God and each other.

He is sharing with people about his church...but he was quick to say that it is his relatively new relationship with God that has changed his life. He has it right....

I was hugged by alot of people...

I was told by someone, "I really get alot out of the messages..." It's good to hear....

I got a new picture of Baby Grace. She melts my heart.

In the middle of all of this I am reminded that people have so much to deal with...health, broken relationships, economy, kids, grandkids, doubt, parents, co-workers, pregnancy, there is just so much....

I am thankful I get to do what I do...but I wonder "why me?" What do I have to offer these people? Then I remember my message... It is never my words that save people. It is never my efforts that really make the difference. It is Christ. It is His Spirit. It is His Word. People hang on to what is solid. Today, you can't trust others, government, the economy or any of that stuff... It gets to the point where our faith in God is what we really have. And it is the message we have to share. It is a lasting hope.

That was a big part of my message today... actually if I had been the only one to hear it today, it was a message I needed to hear... I needed to preach it to myself....

.

Take heart....

"IN THIS WORLD, YOU WILL HAVE TROUBLE." John 16:33

Those seven words are so true.

They tell the truth about life. You know it and I know it. The reality of living life is that there are moments where trouble is present. Trouble comes in all shapes and sizes. It does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, gender or economic status. Trouble is real. It can be a nusiance or it can be devestating. It can be short-lived, or it can be life-long. Just read the newspaper. There is so much trouble. Read our prayer list. People we know and love have alot to deal with. They are good people. They love God. But there is still trouble. Think about your life. Often we learn best through trouble. Often we trust God more when we have troubles.

"BUT TAKE HEART! I HAVE OVERCOME THE WORLD."

Those eight words are awesome!

Aren't you glad that John 16:33 does end with the first sentence? I am. Yes, trouble lurks in life. You and I, we can't get away from it. We can not manipulate life so that we have no trouble.. We can not totally avoid trouble. We can not lead a "trouble free "life." No one does.

These words remind us that there is someone who can deal with our troubles. Jesus can. In John 14, Jesus said, "Do not let your hearts be troubled, trust in God, trust also in me." ( 14:1)
One of my co-workers often talks about how belief is really connected to trust. Do I really trust God and Jesus in times of trouble? I admire the way, and many others do "trust" God. It is more than just intellectual ascent... it is a rock solid trust in God, believing that what Jesus said in John 16:33 is true. That is what it means to "believe" in Him. There are times when trouble descends upon them ( and me), and our trust in Him deepens. That is how it works.

So, I am thinking.... I have troubles... but they are nothing compared to alot of other people's troubles. I will have troubles in the future... but there are alot of others who have deeper troubles than I do.

Either way, Jesus did not distinguish between those who had "big" troubles, and those who have "little" troubles. He just said, " But take heart! I have overcome the world." That is a message for all of us.

Tension- Sweet Spot

Here are some ramblings. I know it is has been a while...

Tension.... Life is lived in tension.  Relationships have tension. When you "commit" to someone, there is a constant sense of tension. It is not all bad. Frankly, tension is what brings about trust, it brings about a sense of connection. It brings about a sense of accomplishment when you take two different people, set a goal, and then work together to accomplish it. 

I love my wife. We are very different.  But we are a really good team. There is this tension between us that draws us together and to God. We have to lean on each other, and on Him. I love her. I love what we do. I love the things we do together. 

I love my kids.  Again, there is a sort of tension, especially as we see them leave home and build lives.  Each one of our kids has a "core" in them that is good. They love God, and they try to live that out. But each one of them has gone about it a different way. That is the fun of life. They do not always do the things I would do, and isn't that wonderful? 

I love the staff of our church. We are all very different. This last week, I was in for a few days. I was walking around just looking at how different all of them are.  Some are loud and busy. Some are very quiet and studious.  Some are older, some are younger.  Some have lots of experience, some do not. All of US make mistakes... but we have a goal and that goal is to glorify God and to help others know, love, serve and share Him. ( Christ)."

Lately I have been gone alot. It is by design. I have not thought much about the church, but have focused on some space between me and the church, which has cleared my head... It has made me think more about strategic planning... getting out from under the urgent and into the important. I have needed some time to think, some time to rest and some time to spend with kids and Pam. 

There is a tension there. I want to know what is going on at the church. I like knowing...  I want to make decision, I want to see the flow of how things are going. But I have had to turn loose of alot to be gone and let it kind of all happen.  I noticed it these last two weeks, because the emails and the phone calls have been very few. At first that bothered me...."Why don't they call me?"  "Why are they not emailing me?"  Well, because I told them not to. Because it is best that when I am away, I am really away.  What a challenge to do that when you have been trained to believe that you are always on call, 24/7/365.  One of the benefits of being a pastor in a larger church is that you can get away. 

Here is what I have learned...

1. Strategic planning and thinking way ahead of the game is something someone has to do. If you do not have someone doing that you will spend all your time reacting. Most bad decisions are made in a hurry and react kind of mode. 

2. We have very gifted staff that can do a very good job of "managing" the day to day things in the church. I feel a need to develop more "strategic planners" that will see the church grow and develop over the next 10-20 years. They are all leaders... who love God, love their families, love their church and love me. I need to be better at this, and reproduce that in others... lots of work to do there.

3. I love spending time with Pam. She is my best friend. We have a gift in the time that we are given to be together. The next 30 years will be fun.(I would love to live to 80, with her...)

4. Tension is not a bad thing. Too much time away from the pressures and stress kind of becomes a "withdrawl" kind of thing too. It takes me a couple days to decompress...But  I think the tension I am talking about is kind of like the sweet spot on a bat.  When you hit the ball on the sweet spot, there is a different sound. And the ball flys...  I like that sound.  At the church, I think we are hitting more and more of the "sweet spot". It does not mean that there are not some broken bats, some strikes, and even an occasional strike out... but we seem to be able to hit the ball out of the park once in a while now.  The sweet spot for me is to be able to leave, learn from others, rest and recuperate and then come back stronger than ever. 

5. I need the rest. I am finding that rest of all kinds ( emotional, physical and spiritual) are completely inter-related.  I have not done a good job of resting the last 8 months or so.  I am working on it... I can feel it when I am winding down... 

Lots to think about.... Who knows maybe I will be able to get back to blogging more, rather than just storing it up for a big one like this.

later...

Thinking "outloud"....

I think humans are chronic complainers. 

Reading through a chunk of Exodus this week has convinced me that we no matter what miracle God does, there are always going to be people that will say, "It is not enough."

Think about it... Israel cries out to God and says, "Get us out of Egypt."  God does. He does it in a miracle filled way.  Over and over, God showed his power. He showed His love. He showed the people that he had a plan.  God executed the plan.

On the way out of Egypt, across the Red Sea, and into the land that was promised, it was one complaint after another. There were lots of miracles, lots of very clear examples that if the people would follow God, he would not only take care of them, but bless them. 

But they wanted more...

Today we are in a very challenging time economically.  There is no doubt about that. But we still are the richest country on earth.  We are blessed by God. I heard yesterday that people in Afghanistan average 350 dollars a year in income.  I make alot more than that in a week.  Alot more.  I know it is much worse in other parts of the world.

Bottom line, it is not about not making money. It is not about giving away what people work hard to make. 

It is about complaining when things get tight or when we have to cut back on "necessities" like Cable, DVR, Cellphones, vehicles, eating out, internet and soooooo much more. Is a vacation a necessity? Is it a necessity to be able to have computers, flat screen TV's in every room...

I am not against those things. I am someone who "has" most of those things. But when we become complainers about those kinds of things and some of the "cut-backs" we may need to make, maybe it signal  that we do not "have those things, those things "have" us. 

Be thankful. Be intelligent.  Don't complain. We have alot. Most of us can "give up" many things, if necessary.  Most of us still have a whole lot more than the rest of the world.

Elkins Elks continue to win...

 Last night we watched the Elkins Elks win their game against rival Greenland.  Nathaniel Smith is the coach.  He happens to be my son-in-law. ( I have two phenomenal son-in-laws.). 

I watched the Elks last year.  They were decent, but overmatched most of the time. I only saw a couple games, but it was not pretty.   This year, they have a personality. It is the personality of their coach.  Work hard...take good shots, effort, and consistency. They have learned to win. That goes along way.

They got behind last night...but there was no panic on the players faces... and none from the coach.  It was like, "Do what you do best, and we will be fine."  They were... they won by 12 or so.  That makes them 5-0 in conference.

I told Nathaniel after the game, "Now that you have won that game, the real coaching begins." It is one thing to learn how to win when you are losing.  It is another thing to learn to continue to win when you are winning.   He is up to it.  I like their team alot. They have a nice blend of shooting, inside game.  They defend.  They are not big, but they scrap and play hard. 

On another note...last week I went to Portland. Spent the afternoon with Joel.  It is interesting.  He is a guy who moved across the country with a company from Tulsa. They laid 1/3 of the company off six week later. I would be mad....really mad.  ( I was to be honest with you.)

But not Joel. He is figuring out how to live on alot less...looking for work, doing things to earn money, keeping his apartment, building new friends, working out, and trying to do somethings while he can. He does not have alot of financial commitments, so he just keeps on doing what he does. 

It was good for me to see him. He is fine. I admire what he is doing, because he has not let adversity derail him. That is a good life quality to have.

God is providing for him.

God is providing for my dad.  Although the surgery did not go well, he has a good attitude.  Mom and Dad keep plugging away.

Well, its just Pam and I at home.  Guess what... We are watching figure skating. ( I know girls, you are wondering "where that was when you were at home".)  

Go figure.....Dad watching Figure skating...Hmmmmmm.....

Stuff

This and that....

- Got to see Gracie this weekend...  Sooooo fun! She is recognize Pam and me, and giggling... 

- Watched Nathaniel's team win a big ballgame this Friday.  The Elkins Elks are 5-7 and on the rise....  

- Church was incredible today.  So many new people....full parking lots.... people could not find seats... I saw one guy who brought his basketball team to church- they had to sit on the front row.Matt Proctor, President of Ozark Christian College preached... He hit a home run...

- We are in a series called "the truth, laying the foundations of our faith".  Where do preaching ideas come from?  God lays them on our hearts, sometimes they are collaborative efforts with other staff... and sometimes they are tucked in a conversation. This one came from Rib Crib... lunch with Bill Odom... who just shared his heart about people needing to know what we believe and why.  Thanks Bill....

- I love our building...but I am wondering if we built too small. ( Okay I just said it... I know some of you are thinking it.)  Thanks to Eric B... who stopped me and said, "Look at this, it is full!"  It was not what he said, it was his eyes... so excited as he sees God working.  What do we do about it?  Pray, strategically plan , pray some more and remember that God knows exactly what we have, and what we need to accomplish His mission for us. 

- I am heading to Oregon this week... Dad is having eye surgery this week. ( prayers are always appreciated.)  I love his optimistic attitude. I can learn alot from Him.  And my mom...she is amazing...inspite of her own health issues, she is right there for him! 

- Also looking forward to seeing Joel in Portland for a few hours....  He is still looking for work ( prayers please....).  I admire him because he is managing a difficult situation with alot of strength...

- I will be back in the pulpit Sunday ( Jan 18th). It's "the truth about Jesus Christ." 

- On a cultural note- there is a huge battle going on in our culture right now. On the one side are the people who say,  "Pay off your debts and save your money."  The other side says, "the way out of this economic trouble is for all of you to spend the money that you have."  I wonder who will win? There is alot at stake here.

- 8 Days to Inauguration.  I will talk about it later this week.

- 

"A bit terrified..."

Today, we ( FCC) began a year long quest to go "DEEPER" with God. It come from Luke 5 where Jesus told Peter to "Put out into deep water and let your nets down for a catch."

"Going deeper" can be pretty subjective for most people. For our purposes today we concentrated on "going deeper in the Word, "  and "going deep in our mission as a church." I believe that if we do those two things, all the measurements, goals etc that a new year brings will take care itself.

I was reading a blog by a preacher in Ohio...one I read regularly. He made a statement that got my attention.  Here it is...

"I am excited, and a bit terrified to deepen my walk with God." 

That is a very honest statement...one I can identify with.   I relate to it because I know, at least in part, that growth comes from perseverance through hard times.  Is that a prayer that I want to pray? Hmnnnn.... I do want to grow deeper...

Maybe my problem is that I want to "grow deeper" on my own terms...If that is my priority, my life is not totally surrendered.

Do you want to grow "deeper?"  If so, is there anything that terrifies you about deepening your relationship with God? 

IF YOU ARE INTERESTED: Study guides for the previous weeks sermons are online at www.fccowasso.com.  Could be a good too for you to "go deeper."

Three Words

Three words that give me hope for the future. 

Take a peak at Genesis 1.   The three words are 

"AND IT HAPPENED"   NCV

Over and over again, you read the words, "And it happened."   

I thought about this in light of something I heard a long time a go...

"God said it and that settles it." 

No matter what happens in the future, remember that from the beginning of time, God has kept His Word.  There is nothing to suggest that the future will be any different.

NEW YEAR REFLECTIONS AND POSSIBILITIES

 I am one who looks forward to a New Year.  I know it is just a calendar page and all that...but a new year does a  couple things for me. 

One, it causes me to reflect on the previous year.

Two, it raises my thinking about the possibilities of the coming year. 

Since I have only had 50 or so of these "new years", I feel a little bit like a novice.  Both of the aforementioned items can happen any time, and should not be limited to the end of December or first of January...

Sooooo.... reflections...

* Another year of life...I am 50! ( I already mentioned that )

* A new life in my life- Baby Grace ( See pictures from earlier blogs)

* A year of improving health ( Its slow but progressing)

* A year of massive change at the church ( Relocation was just the tip of the iceberg)

* FCC finished Phase I, and finished Phase II in the same year. ( Way to go church, building 

    team , staff and Mike)

* Joel moved to Portland (kind of ironic when you think about it)

* Lydia and James moved back to Owasso (nice......very nice)

* Abigail grew up .... and has an awesome boyfriend ( She blows me away)

* Elizabeth became a mom...  ( She and Nathaniel are great parents)

* Pam is a natural grandmother...so good to her kids and so loving to me. 

* Broadcasting OHS basketball on the radio with my friend Steve.

* Pam and I went to Israel in May- Amazing trip!

* We ( FCC) gained four new staff members ( Jared, James, Teri and Nancy)

* We (FCC)  lost ( we know where she is...) a wonderful Early Childhood Director ( Cathy).  8 

   years in that position is almost unheard of....

*  We ( FCC) added lots and lots of new people.... some wonderful people who God has touched.

* On a personal note  2008 also saw my parents move from out into the country to the city.  I 

   am proud of them for making a "hard" move...

Soooo.... Possibilities.....

* Preaching messages that move people DEEPER  ( Luke 5:11) - With God's amazing help

* Traveling more in 09 to churches  to learn about vision, processes and leadership

*  Spending more time with Pam....pursuing some of her dreams for the future. 

* Taking the Perspectives class

* Broadcasting OHS basketball ( Blaine's Sr. Year...)

*  Better health... more efficient exercise... learning to eat better, and staying out of bad 

   lifestyle habits (Those closest to me know what they are).

* Watching Gracie grow... ( a secret... she is spending a week with us next summer...woo hoo!) 

* Visiting Joel and my parents in Oregon

* Writing study guides for each sermon in 09. ( I am enjoying this... 10 down, 42 to go!)

* Influencing my neighbors for Christ. ( There are real opportunities there)

* Watching God work in the lives of people I have not even met yet. ( Every year, there are new 

    people....)

* Going to Florida with Pam for two weeks.

* More love from God.... everyday...

It's shaping up to be a great year...

Bowl-a-rama

Watching   Oklahoma State  Vs. Oregon in Holiday Bowl.... This creates tension in my life....It is a great game.. (4th  qtr   31-28  Cowboys...but the ducks are driving )  Can Ducks drive? 

THE DUCKS DROVE.... BOYS LOST-= but a good game...

I vote for games to be played on fields where they have quality turf that has not been mauled by the NFL two days before....  Both teams have injuries because of the lousy grass.

Lots of bowl games to watch... Kind of fun....

On another super spiritual note..... Several of my fans gathered in the new gym today for the first shot .... It was a free throw.... The tight rims were a problem....but the ball bounced around and WENT IN !  The crowd erupted... and then we went back to work

Fun

Christmas 2008 ( Catching up from a month long blogging break)

Its been a while since the last post... nearly a month.  Why?  Several have asked (my mom included).  Thank you to all who care. A few have wondered if I was sick. Nope.  Others have wondered if I was worn down and tired.  Maybe.  Others even wondered if I had given up on blogging... no.

I have been in a major effort with writing study guides for next year, articles, bulletin greetings and a some other things. So the first thing to go is blogging for a while.  Its really nothing more than that. 

So what's up? Well, here is my own personal Christmas  Letter for 2008. 

CHRISTMAS HAS BEEN  GREAT.  Our church tried something different this year.  The Christian group AVALON came to the church for two Christmas concerts. They were incredible.  What made it even more special was the participation of our own worship choir.  It was alot of fun, well attended, and a significant investment in our church family and community. 

On Sunday, we had our annual Christmas Services which were excellent.  I really felt like we worshipped Christ.  Our Worship teams were so engaged and full of joy. 

Our Christmas Eve Services were also very good. Interestingly we combined communion, candle-lighting, Charlie Brown Peanuts, Grandpa Tom reading the Christmas story to dozens and dozens of children, and the singing of Christmas Carols. 

These events were our first  Christmas events in our new building. Simply decorated, the building reflected the joy of our congregation as we celebrate the birth of Christ.  The preaching series concentrated on the three word phrase, " God with us."

What else is going on?  Well, Christmas continued today with our family here in Owasso.  Baby Grace is so beautiful.  Having James, Lydia, Elizabeth, Nathaniel, Abigail and Grace here was so good for Pam and me.   We did miss having Joel here ( He is in Portland).  But It sounds like was going to have a good day too. 

At the church, we are just a few days from opening our Phase II. It contains a great gymnasium, Kitchen, gathering area and a state of the art Youth and children's worship area. 

As I reflect on the opening, I am amazed that it is done. Just 9 months ago we were pushing hard to get into Phase I.  I am grateful to those who have worked so hard to get this phase done.  It will add so much to our ability to expand our ministry to youth and children, the development of sports ministries and give us much needed space for other activities in the church. 

When I consider 2008, it has been a year of tremendous challenge and change for our church. ( I will probably write more about this later).  But as we have come through the year and all of these changes, I notice that one thing has not changed.  Christ is the head of our Church. May it always stay that way!

2009 brings a new emphasis for our church. The theme for 2009 is "DEEPER".  For the coming year we will be looking specifically at foundations of our faith. The teaching and preaching will focus on the Bible and its trustworthiness, Jesus, God , Salvation and much more.  Some years we spend more time looking at what the Bible says about specific life situations. This year, it is much more about the foundations.  Along the way we will provide study guides for each message, which will include some more passages to study and read, group questions and Bible reading plans. I have the first 8 of the new year written, and am working on March.  Our hope is that people in the congregation will take these and make it their own personal responsibility to study the Word and apply it to their lives.   We have many many people who do, but we want to increase the numbers of people doing this on a regular basis. 

Some are asking about my health. Right now I am doing pretty well. I can tell when I have had along and intense season of preaching, leadership etc.  This fall has been pretty hectic. So in January , February and March, I will be doing a little less of the preaching and taking advantage of some vacation time, conference time and just some down time. 

Since I had the two strokes, I have gotten better at recognizing when I need to "dial it down." However, many years  of working too much and too long, with too much intensity has created unhealthy life patterns that I constantly have to fight against.  Sometimes I have to just shut it down... My body , mind and soul  tells me when that is... and that is definitely is now. So in the coming weeks, I will read alot  more, write more, preach a little less, and spend some time reflecting on God's work and call in my life. 

I am blessed beyond imagination. The church I serve has been so considerate in understanding my limitations and still encouraging me to press on, lead on, and serve on.  I know many who do not serve such a congregation.  On days I wake up and feel crummy, foggy and empty, I do not fear that someone will be on my doorstep, or at my desk wondering what I am doing or not doing.  Some of those days have become more numerous in last few weeks. When it happens, I retreat to rest and re-charge. And if I don't  then I have people around me who remind me of what I should be doing... and then tell me, "Get out of here." My family and our church want me around for the long haul.  In order to do this, you have to have a great staff. I have a great team that serves with me. 

At the top of the list is my wonderful wife.  This last week I was standing with one my friends at church, along with our wives.  I said, "We both have married way over our heads."  He agreed. 

So did our wives.  :-)   But we all know the score.  How could I even begin to say what the last 27 years, 9 months has meant to me?  These last 2 and 1/2 years have been a challenge for her, but she continues to work at the mid-high, be a great mom, be a "great"  grandmother, pastor's wife, and so much more. ( That is quite a job description isn't it.) She is awesome!

God is so good to me.  

 Well, that is my Christmas letter for 2008.  I would have sent it to you, except that "sending" stuff is not something I am really great at. So for those of you who read the blog...

 Merry Christmas! 

Charlie

 

More Pictures

Each of our children are a blessing to Pam and me.  
Grandparenting is cool...
It is really something to see what a blessing Grace has been for Lizzie and Nathaniel... and the rest of us.
Both of our Son in laws are tremendous people...Our girls are blessed.  It is so good to see men in both of our girls lives that complete them in many ways. 

We had a great Thanksgiving! Everyone was home. Lots of turkey, sports, fun, and laughter.  

AND PICTURES! 

Baby Grace's First Thanksgiving

Not so happy....
That's better. 

What a blessing to have Grace in our lives... We are thankful. 

Rapping at Thanksgiving Banquet 08

The staff convinced me to pursue another career  at the Thanksgiving banquet!  LL COOL CHARLIE is my name... and rap is my game.

Rapping with Tim... He is cooler than me. But I am still his boss.

Groovin and movin'.... The crowd went crazy