Isaiah 40:28-31

I really appreciate a Scripture that talks about soaring. 

However, I don't know how much soaring I have been doing lately. 

Some days I feel more like the only eagles I have seen...the ones in cages and their wings are clipped.

I sure have been doing my share of waiting on the Lord. 

And that is okay. I can sometimes be an little impatient, so this is a great lesson for me to be learning. 

I heard a Bible Study teacher recently pointing out this Scripture is not about waiting on an "event", but waiting on the Lord. Waiting to be renewed by God. Not waiting for that event, moment or action to take place in our lives. Waiting on the Lord. 

Not an easy task. 

Sometimes I can wait for something to happen to be renewed. Depending on this or that to take place before I feel like soaring. 

But the truth is...we soar when we hope, wait, depend on the Lord. 

So, I have been praying this Scripture a lot lately. 

Thought you might need to be reminded yourself that God desires for us all to "not get weary". Be renewed...wait on the Lord. 

Saving oneself

I am not a swimmer. My parents signed me up for swim lessons often as a child. We had a swimming pool in our backyard for years...I just never really learned how to swim. 

I am not a fan of large bodies of water. If I am on a boat - yea,  I am good with water. If I am on a wave runner (back when I had time to go to the lake, that is what they were called) - yea, I like water. I try to drink my 8 full 8 ounces of water a day. I guess you could say I like water. 

I just don't like the idea of going down with water around. I have never had a bad experience with water. It may just be too many movies with a similar idea as the motif. 

I have been thinking a lot about lifeguards saving people lately. I have not really ever seen a lifeguard save anyone. All the lifeguards I have seen consist of those at Whitewater who hang out up high in their chairs and look cool. 

However, a particular visual has come to mind and I have not been able to shake it (possibly similar to Molly on Jason's mind...Bachelor reference).

Years ago, I heard a preacher talk about having to save someone who was drowning. The person fought so much to try to save themselves, they made it really difficult for the lifeguard to save them. Almost making it impossible.

The visual has paired up with some Scripture I  have been reading lately and the connection has not left my heart. 

How much do we try to keep ourselves afloat that we fight anyone who is trying to help us. 

Have you been there? Do you know someone who almost took your eye out when you offered assistance because they were too busy flapping their arms to stay afloat? I have to admit, I have probably been that person more times than I can admit.

The prophet Isaiah said something about those that wait on the Lord...will mount up like eagles. Hmmmm.

If my choice is between going down or mounting up...I think I will soar with the eagles.

What is necessary for that to take place? Waiting on the Lord.

Except I am not any better at waiting than swimming....ugh.

Just something to think about this Lent. 

Acceptance

Revisiting a recent thought from Women's Retreat 09

I am a little addicted to The Bachelor, season 13. In who will Jason, the single dad from Seattle find love? That is the question that keeps me turning on the television at 7:00 p.m. every Monday night. However, recently my mind has been considering a lesson to be learned from the show. It hit me as I listened to Nicki on her "limo rejection ride" after not receiving the rose a couple weeks ago.  She admitted that she was just not pretty, smart or good enough and it broke my heart. 

How many of us have sought after something only to come up realizing we just were not good enough? Maybe it was love lost or maybe it was that part in a play (which I heard someone confess just this morning). Maybe it was a job opportunity or the acceptance from another (parent, sibling, child, pet...). 

On The Bachelor, the women all desire to receive the rose from Jason. The rose represents his acceptance, a chance at love or even the opportunity to spend one more week on TV. 

Jason offers the woman he chooses the rose with the question "Will you accept this rose?"

This question and rose represents Jason's acceptance and the women who are recipients glow with joy.

What in your life represents the rose? Who is it that you seek acceptance from? Don't we all have that person or situation that we are desiring a particular response?

I don't think it is just a "women thing". I just happen to know that women have a thing about acceptance and wanting it from those around them. 

God wants us (male or female) to know we are not only accepted, but loved passionately by God. Loved so much that "God gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life" (John 3:16).

Jesus came to earth, taught, healed and did miracles, died on a cross carrying our sins and three days later...rose.

Will we accept this rose? 

You are Loved.

                                                              

"God understands our thoughts long before they are clothed with words". 

Do I need to tell you who wrote that sentence originally? John Wesley, of course. 

However, I would like to move away from my obsession with John for a moment. Did I just hear a loud sigh of relief? Okay, maybe he has been at the center of my thoughts recently. Soon and very soon, Wesley will take a back seat to my Spring classes. For now, on to more important points and yes, I have one. 

The idea that God understands (not just "knows", but understands) my thoughts - that is assuring to me. It could be scary, but God loves me - so I don't feel judged. How many relationships do I have in my life where if that person knew all my thoughts it would be okay?

I think I can honestly say, a couple relationships where I do not feel judged or condemned for something stupid, petty, mean or dramatic entering my mind. 

Most people will never know the million thoughts that fly through my brain. However, if you know me, you know that about a 1/2 million things that fly through my brain do get "clothed with words". Yes, many will know about 1/2 of my thoughts if they are around me much. 

Yet, there are those that know my heart. Where I can just call and say, "I need to get this off my chest. I know you could think less of me as I tell you this thought, but I trust that you will hear me and still accept me". Those people that God has placed in my life to get a glimpse of how God desires to be in relationship with me. The judgement is absent, the acceptance is abundant, now we just need to find the realization. The realization that God loves me.

This "realization" made me also "realize" that one reason there can be fear in knowing God understands our thoughts before we put words to them is that we don't have that kind of understanding of God. 

We fear because we don't understand God's love. God's incredible, unmatchable, exceeds our imagination, passionate and unconditional love. 

"For God so loved the world..." read the book of John. (Do you expect me to do everything for you, come on...I got some more John Wesley to read).

blessings,

Still in love

Yes, he is short in stature, but incredibly tall in ethics. He may even have a tendency towards being considered a mama's boy. However, Susanna only meant to guide her son and you really can't blame her for that. If he received even a small piece of the passion he has from his mom, then thank you Susy (can I call her that?)

My heart still skips a beat when I read his writings. "A heart deep-dyed with generous honesty" - how can you not smile? My admiration has grown to the point that his picture now rests on my desk. And yes, I know he has made some mistakes. However, his desire to grow and be transformed only makes my heart draw closer. Can you really knock someone from leaving Georgia quickly? If it wasn't for Paula Dean's restaurant, I would not have stayed long myself.

Relax, I only have a couple more weeks of being consumed with John Wesley. My summaries will be written, I will take the final and then have to move on to the Hebrew language. But for now, my love for John Wesley will continue. If nothing else, possibly my heart will be reminded it is "stamped with the image of Christ" (another beautiful Wesley phrase).

If you are looking to fall in love, move away from eHarmony and borrow my 16 volume set of John Wesley's Works instead. 

Falling in love

I have found myself falling in love...

with John Wesley. I know, he died over 300 years ago and during his life had very little, if any success in relationships (there's something we have in common).

Yet, I find myself smiling as I read his words and my heart is filled with admiration (and the music swells and the camera pans out).

Over the last month I have been knee deep in the writings of John Wesley, the founder of Methodism. Now, ordinarily I would not find myself enjoying a night of reading John Wesley's 52 Standard Sermons a highlight. Yet, what an incredible writer. 

"But the fact we know; namely, that the Spirit of God does give a believer such a testimony of his adoption, that while it is present to the soul, he can no more doubt the reality of his sonship, than he can doubt of the shining of the sun, while he stands in the full blaze of his beams". Sermon X, Witness of the Spirit, Part 1.

Even more than a kindled love for his writings, I have been reminded of what this whole things is about. Why being a part of this particular denomination is actually something to also smile and have admiration about.

I will be the first to admit that there are times when I want to just hang my head as I read about the happenings taking place in United Methodist corners of the world, especially America. I have been a United Methodist almost my whole life. I have born in 1968, the same year this denomination became "united". However, as with every other mainline denomination and those not so mainline, the UM can get distracted (can't we all).

As we have become concerned about numbers, political correctness and actual, politics in general, we have forgotten our first love. Don't get me wrong. Yes, we should be concerned about numbers, political correctness, politics, especially in how it relates to social justice. We should always be concerned about how to serve our neighbors in all ways and forms (break out the cell phone and text your thoughts right now!). Within all this concern, what are we rallying people behind? What is the great cause for which we are worrying about numbers and political correctness?

"That I am a child of God; that Jesus Christ hath loved me, and given himself for me; that all my sins are blotted out, and I, even I, am reconciled to God." Sermon XI and about a hundred other John Wesley sermons.

I believe in what the United Methodist Church is doing in the world today. I believe in what the United Methodist Church is doing on my corner. As a United Methodist pastor, I just don't want to lose track of what Wesley seem to have etched in his heart (after sorting and struggling through much). 

John made his share of mistakes. However, his assurance of the above fact was a driving force in a majority of his writings. 

May my own witness of the Spirit be the driving force behind what I do as a UM pastor and a part of humanity.

New Year

I am looking forward to the turn of the calendar from 2008 to 2009 for many reasons. 

One simple reason is...a friend gave me a new calendar and I can't wait to read what "the office" saying is for January 2, 2009. 

In case you are curious, the January 1 saying comes from Michael about being the "top dog in a fairly large pond".

The year 2009 means I am one year closer to graduation for my master's degree. And trust me, that is a very good reason to look forward to the turn of the calendar. 

Another reason is the new year always holds all these new possibilities. Maybe the old year had some disappointments, however the new year has not disappointed anyone yet. Don't get me wrong, 2008 was a good year. Yet, along with the joys there always are some tears.  

This upcoming year only has joy in my mind. I guess I am a "glass 1/2 full" kind of person. The older I get the more open I am to the unknown. 

Okay, for those of you laughing so hard you are falling off your chair...I mean that I do much better not knowing what is ahead. 

Andy preached a couple weeks ago about the angel saying to the shepherd "Do not fear". He pointed out that for some of us that is all we need to hear from the Christmas story. This year, I needed to hear the angel's proclamation to the shepherds.

Fear can trap us into needing to know the next move. For me, fear has a lot to do with a need for control. As long as I know what is ahead, I can in some way prepare and it is less scary. However, there is really no way to know what is ahead at all times. We just cannot manipulate our days to that degree. 

I know I am not alone - I know many of you out there. This is a safe place to proclaim the fact  - we are recovering control freaks!

I am claiming the "recovering" part of the title because for 2009 I am holding no expectations (well, okay only a few). I am going to embrace the unknown of this next year (well, okay reach my hand out). Remember, it is all about baby steps. 

See you in 2009 and all the new year holds. May we laugh and yes at times, cry together in the next year.