Bad Brakes/ Good Breaks

 A few days ago I was helping my son, Josh, change the brakes on his ’97 Maxima. Neither of us had ever done a brake job before.

"How hard could it be?"

How hard could it be? (Frightening words, I know).

Well, in no time we had the car on jacks and the wheels off and we were staring at the brakes. I got the Haynes Service Manual out and Josh got out his smart phone to dial up a How-To You Tube video (it’s a generational thing). About the time I decided there was no further benefit in scratching my head I heard a sound. Sure, it was a distant, muffled rumble, but it seemed to be moving nearer to us. And it was. It got louder and louder, until—the Calvary arrived!

"The brake's up here, near the wheel, right?"

Chuck McMurray arrived on his Harley. Since he is an expert in all things mechanical, the day was saved. “You already have the wheels off? You’ve done the hardest part.”

Thirty-five minutes later, it was all over—except for bragging on ourselves!

It’s amazing what a difference it makes when someone arrives who has been there before.

Chuck, AKA, The Calvary

Jesus understands how we fear the enemy of death. So, just before his crucifixion he tries to comfort the disciples, “In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you” (Jn. 14:2). When it comes to the territory of death, Jesus has already been there. And he has borne the full impact of death on Himself. It is a comfort to be in the presence of One who has been there before. Death has no power over us anymore. It has lost its sting. We’re freed to live with confidence and serenity.

How do we know this?

It’s all in the Service Manual!

Wow! and Wow! Again

I heard about a man who was an executive who did a lot of business traveling. One day when he was on a flight, he commented to himself, “I cannot believe this flight crew. They are the most attentive, responsive flight crew that I’ve ever seen." So, toward the end of the flight, he stopped one of the flight crew members and said, “Excuse me, I don’t mean to bother you, but I fly a lot, and I have never seen a flight crew like this. You are the most engaged, enthusiastic, service-oriented flight crew I’ve ever seen.”

The female flight attendant got a little smile on her face as she bent down and whispered to him, “Thank you, sir, but for that you can thank the woman seated back there in 12B.” She paused, nodded her head slightly towards seat 12B, and continued: “You see, sir, the woman in seat 12B is the head supervisor for all of the flight attendants for our airline. And she’s on our flight!”

When we really know that Jesus is in our midst, that he is “on our flight,” it has a profound way of changing the way we serve other people. Well, Jesus was on our flight Sunday and it made our service a beautiful thing.

I was so proud of our church.

There were hundreds of believers swarming over the Belmont Hills Elementary School Sunday, March 17, cleaning, painting, building, landscaping, coordinating and delivering throughout the day. Young and old, black and white, working side by side in the name of Jesus. I believe God was honored by our service. Not only this, but we had scores of preschoolers back on campus working under the direction of Miss Cindi and senior adults undergirding the whole effort with prayer under the direction of Pastor Chuck.

It was a great day all around. This was the largest FIA group we’ve had (approximately 700 among the several churches) and the smallest project-footprint. More than 100 people worked all day Saturday just getting ready for us to arrive! The project wasn’t small by any means, but the footprint in which it all transpired was relatively small. So—we got up close and personal with all the other believers serving here in Smyrna!

Many thanks to Carole Fouts for her organizational acumen, our incredibly competent Team Captains, and many, many volunteers. It was a sight to behold and a wonderful day to remember.

To God be the glory!

Here’s a recap of this year’s activity:

FIA 2013 Work Projects at Belmont Hills Elementary School

Cafeteria:

3 murals

Awning redone

Bear Claw Café (sign, flooring and patio furniture)

2—36ft valances for wall of windows

Artwork on valances

Cafeteria completely painted and blue highlight line added

Cleaning baseboards

Main Hallway

Blue border

Bathrooms

Cleaned, Bear claw murals in all

Whole school

Baseboards, walls and windows cleaned

Playground Equipment

Power washed and painted

Basketball Court

Lines painted, spectator benches built and installed

Central Courtyard

Installed paver pathway

Office area

Bookshelves built and painted

Principal office makeover

Dance Studio

6 wall murals

1^st Grade Courtyard

Block walls painted

Mural painted

Flowers installed

Bird bath and seat added

Mulched area

Fence door

Nature trail area

2 bridges built and installed

Water drainage re-directed

Path mulched

All woods cleared and cleaned out

All trimmings mulched and installed

Teachers’ Workroom

Total Makeover—Cabinets built, murals created, paint, shelving)

Teachers’ Lounge

Area created with furniture, walls painted, organized

Conference Room

Walls painted

Wall to wall book shelves built and painted

Landscaping

Areas mulched and trees pruned and flowers and shrubs planted

Hallway Murals

Picnic Tables built

All Property picked up and trash containers filled

Painting and more painting. Misc. small repair projects

Parking and child care provided

Food and water distribution for vol. and registration team

On-Campus prayer warriors undergirding project throughout the day
Preschoolers served our Police and Fireworkers

Word of the Year

Word of the Year

The moment has finally come. The judges’ decision is in.

The envelope please.

Oxford Dictionary’s word of the year for 2012 is …

OMNISHAMBLES!

I realize this is really a British thing, but the template sure does overlay the US scene very nicely.

Omnishambles is defined as “a situation that has been comprehensively mismanaged, characterized by a string of blunders and miscalculations.” In short, it’s a first-class mess!

Each year the Oxford University Press tracks how the English language is changing and chooses a word that reflects the personality of the year. The word was coined by writers of the dark political comedy “The Thick of It,” which takes place in the halls of British government.

To be fair, omnishambles wouldn’t merely overlay the American landscape, but would describe many, many places around our world.

Things are clearly a mess—near and far. Consider…

▪ Legislative gridlock. Most think this is an example of omnishambles. I don’t. I’m just including it for the fun of it. Were it not for our occasional legislative gridlock, I assure you, our omnishambles would be far greater than it is. It’s when they agree that I really worry.

▪ Fiscal Cliff. This one is an omnishambles. However, bear in mind that whether we get a Grand Bargain that is exactly what the Democrats want or exactly what the Republicans want it will barely make a dent in a deficit created by a government that is addicted to selling (and a people who are addicted to buying) $10 worth of services for $6. You don’t make up for that in volume.

▪ Civil War in Syria

▪ A nuclear-armed Iran.

▪ World-wide terrorism threats.

▪ And how else to explain the fact that Honey Boo Boo is a star?

You got it—Omnishambles!

But the truth is, the world has always been an omnishambles.

Start in the garden and wend your way through the Scriptures all the way to the end. In the midst of the mess men and women have made of things, you’ll see the thread of God’s redemptive activity.

Paul said it like this, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Rm5:8). Even while, and even though, we’d made an omnishambles of everything, Christ willingly paid our sin debt to a holy God.

The conclusion of it all is this. God will bring order to our fallen world—eventually. But he can bring order to your fallen world—today.

Found Faithful

I hope you had a great Thanksgiving holiday. I sure did. Both of the kids/ spouses spent Wednesday evening with us. We had a great time together. Dale fixed a traditional Thanksgiving meal with a big, fat turkey, dressing and the whole nine yards! Each of us shared special words of gratitude, I read Scripture, and we prayed together. And then we ate! It was a real feast.



STAND BACK!



It’s always been my job to carve the turkey. In the photograph you’ll see that I’m about to get to work. Which brings me to “the knife.” We have this electric knife we got as a wedding gift—35 years ago. I know, I know. I look much too young to have been married 35 years! Even when new, this knife was an ordinary appliance—nothing high tech or high end.

But… it got the job done. And still does.

My electric knife doesn’t get many “Wows!” But it sure can make the turkey look good.

And as I cleaned it up to put it away, I thought, “I want to be like that knife.” Not the latest and greatest—and the packaging is starting to look a little rough. But I want to continue to be faithful, useful in serving the Lord. I realize I’m not describing established fact; I’m describing my aspirations. My problem is that my ego wants to get in the way.

But I certainly aspire to be useful. The resurrected Christ said to the church in Smyrna, “Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life” (Rev. 2:10). That’s how long my knife is going to be faithful. That’s how long I want to be faithful.

Zombie Bees



Real-Life Zombie Bee



Here’s an effective (though somewhat creepy) way to illustrate the need for spiritual discipline and the need to renew your mind. In 2008, scientists spotted what they called “zombie bees.” These bees showed strange behaviors, like flying at night (almost unheard of in healthy bees), moving erratically and then dying.

Investigators found that the bees were victims of a parasitic fly that invaded the bees’ minds and induced their hosts to make a “flight of the living dead.” The article notes other examples of parasites that not only feed on its host, but also alter the host’s behavior in a way that benefits the parasite. The technical phrase is “host manipulation.”

Is this just a creepy extension of our fascination with zombies? The article seems to suggest that humans might be the victims of host manipulation as well, giving rise to the question, “Who’s in charge inside your head?” Of course the jury may still be out on how “host manipulation” works on a physical level, but it’s sure a powerful reality in the spiritual realm.

So, who’s in charge inside your head? Well, as fallen people, we are highly susceptible to the leadership of the Evil one. After all, it’s only natural. But we don’t want to be bound by natural limitations. We want more. That’s why God offers new life through our faith in Christ.

Paul challenges us, “Whatever we do, it is because Christ’s love controls us. Since we believe that Christ died for everyone, we also believe that we have all died to the old life we used to live” (2C5:14, NLT). What’s the explanation for all of your erratic, self-destructive behavior? You may be under the control of the wrong host!

How do you limit the influence of our fallen world and leverage the influence of the risen Christ? Exercise spiritual discipline. Engage in personal prayer; join in Bible study with other believers; gather for worship each week; give yourself in service to others.

Paul’s language was, put off the old self, put on the new self and [Steve’s language] fly right!

For Christ,

SLK

Remembering 9-11



"Blessed is the nation..."



In our Men’s Prayer Group this morning we sang, America the Beautiful. The less familiar third verse says, “O beautiful for heroes proved in liberating strife, who more than self their country loved, and mercy more than life!” I thought, in general, of the 3000 people who were murdered eleven years ago. But I thought, in particular, of the many first responders—all those people who voluntarily placed themselves in harm’s way.

For all of us who were adults on this day eleven years ago, we will never forget their valor.

It’s remarkable to think back to how the country responded. We were united and we were humbled. There was wide-spread acknowledgment that—we need God. And people turned to God in prayer. Even our politicians. Even in Washington!

Eleven years later, in the midst of relative prosperity and safety, the old self-sufficiency has crept back in. There is not nearly as keen a national sense that we need God. And we are solidly in the grip of disunity.

Hmm? I wonder if there’s a pattern here? Humility and a wide-spread open recognition of our need for God produces—unity. Self-reliance, self-sufficiency and even eschewing God diminishes our national sense that we need God, and results in—disunity.

But I will always struggle to understand.

As the Islamist leaders openly acknowledge, “You love life; we love death.” Meanwhile, people continue to flock to this land of freedom and life. People continue to flee (or strive to) the oppressive, death loving regimes of the world.

In humility, and with a profound sense of reliance on God, the Psalmist said, “God is our refuge and strength, and ever-present help in trouble” (Ps. 46:1).

Come Home

This post is from the current edition of The Message.

Have you ever noticed that when you are separated from your normal routine you miss some people or things more than others? You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to figure that out. Absence will cause you to miss some things intensely, such as your husband or wife, your kids, high calorie/ high fat desserts. Absence will cause you to miss other things less and less. You didn’t miss not going to the dentist, did you? We say, “Absence makes the heart grow fonder.”

  But does it?

  It all depends on your personal passion.

  The observation is true, “Absence diminishes little passions and increases great ones, just as the wind blows out a candle and fans a fire.” Some who once had a passion for the Lord and His church are absent from both. Whether the wind of absence extinguishes your fire or fans it depends on your passion for God. If your passion for God, His people, and His activity is a little passion, you may already be growing comfortable in your absence. You may already be comfortable in filling the Lord’s day with the newspaper, reruns, and ball games.

  But if your passion for God, His people, and His activity is a great passion, you may already be growing increasingly uncomfortable in your absence. You may be continuously pressed with the nagging conclusion that you’re missing out on something meaningful, missing out on experiences and relationships that are irreplaceable. If you are, it is because you still have a great passion for God.

  So come back home. It’s never too late. It says in the Bible, “‘Return to me and I will return to you,’ says the Lord Almighty” (Mal.3:7). So come back home. You’ll find friends here. And you’ll find people who share your passion for God.

The Unsatisfying Answer

Once again Americans’ collective grief is palpable. James Holmes, 24, opened fire in an Aurora, Colorado movie theatre. When the shooting finally ended, 12 people were dead and 58 were wounded.

Why? Well, worst of all, there appears to be no motive whatsoever. Simply a random act of violence. This makes it so different from other tragedies. Other tragedies are the result of pure accidents, physical failure of some sort, or even carelessness.

But the senselessness of this shooting only compounds the tragedy.

So—what is going on here?

            Depends on who you ask.

A biologist might tell you, “This is an evolutionary one-off. A critically flawed piece of the collective gene pool has been eliminated. James Holmes never had and never will have children.”

A sociologist might tell you, “The isolation and constant exposure to violent images and messages leads to aberrant behavior.”

A political scientist might tell you, “Extremism in political discourse and the ready availability of weapons makes something like this inevitable.”

But as a person of faith, I would suggest to you that there is something terribly broken on planet earth. We live in a fallen world. The fallenness of our world is a huge truth that we typically experience in small, annoying ways which are relatively easy to ignore. But every once in a while, something so grotesque, something so incomprehensible occurs, that we just can’t look away.

So there it is. The unsatisfying short answer. We live in a fallen world.

The Bible tells us that just before the flood, God reached this reluctant conclusion: “God saw that human evil was out of control. People thought evil, imagined evil—evil, evil, evil from morning to night” (Gen. 6:5, Msg). And I know what you’re thinking, but things were no better after the flood either (see Gen. 8:21).

So, is this what we’ve come to?

            God have mercy on us.

                        But wait—on second thought—that’s exactly what God did!

You see, God is not surprised by our human horrors. Brokenhearted—yes. But surprised—no. This only serves to make God’s grace all the more shocking. With eyes wide open, God is the one who says to you and me, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Rm. 5:8, NIV).

Mercy Abounds

 

Many of you by now have heard the amazing story of our own Mari-Lynn Quisenberry. Last Saturday morning (April 28) she was out jogging with her running group. During her run she collapsed and went into full cardiac arrest. Mari-Lynn is only 41 years old. I hope that we will soon get to hear her story directly from her and her husband Bart. But for now, let me give you the highlights.

Through a series of miraculous and merciful interventions, God has elected to spare her life. A very small portion of her running route took her near a busy road. This was where she collapsed. An off-duty paramedic happened to be driving by and saw her on the ground. He decided to stop and see if she needed help (boy, did she ever!). Meanwhile, two on-duty paramedics were coming out of the near-by grocery just as the first paramedic got on the scene. Her care was excellent and immediate. It has been a dangerous and dramatic several days. She is recovering wonderfully!

Jumping way ahead in the story: As it turns out, Mari-Lynn has a congenital, and unless discovered and corrected, often-fatal heart defect. It has (mercifully!) been discovered and will be corrected through surgery next week.

All of us who know and love this precious lady are humbly thanking God for heaping mercy upon mercy. We say over and over: God is love. We know this is true because the Bible tells us so. We know this is true because we see it displayed in others’ lives. We know this is true because we experience it in our own lives. And we experience God’s love as MERCY.

The writer in Hebrews tells us: “Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need” (Heb. 4:16).

There is no substitute for the mercy of God and there is no substitute for belonging, being connected to the believing community. When the church works, it is a wonderful thing to behold. Channel 5 News did a report on this incident and on the heroic off-duty paramedic who helped save Mari-Lynn’s life. You can view that report here:

http://www.myfoxatlanta.com/dpp/news/local_news/Off-Duty-EMT-Helps-Save-Runners-Life?CMP=201205_emailshare

Faith in Action--Wow!

I was so proud of our church on Faith in Action Day! We had some 300 people give their Sunday to serve the Lord by serving our community. We, in addition to several hundred other people from Cumberland Community Church and Vinings Methodist, descended on Campbell High like a horde of (friendly) locusts. We painted and cleaned, planted, threw out, and built until our tail feathers were dragging. Though we were pretty worn out, we had a grand worship celebration that night. It was a remarkable day. Here are a few shots of  the day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

My Master Bathroom Project



Ah, no leaks, no flames!



I like to watch home repair shows. I record a few of them. I like the pioneer of the genre, This Old House. And I like Holmes on Homes. Holmes is the name of a builder who goes to homeowners’ homes who have been victimized by incompetent and/or unscrupulous contractors. He uncovers all the blunders and deficiencies and then corrects them. The fact that he is the hero of all of his stories gets a little tedious, but what he does is instructive. My favorite, though, is Ask This Old House. They usually tackle small projects in various aspects of home-ownership. They may cover landscaping, HVAC, electrical, carpentry or plumbing. Fascinating stuff.

I decided to renovate our master bathroom. Dale: (eyebrows arched, arms crossed) Are you sure you can do this? Me: I’ve seen it on TV many times. How hard can it be?

You’ve heard the axiom, “A little knowledge is a dangerous thing”? I’m here to tell you—it’s true! When it comes to construction I know a little bit about a lot of things. Just enough to get into trouble.

I did the demo and some new framing to fit around the cast iron shower pan. I was ready to solder the new shower valve. I was psyched. I started early on Friday morning. But I couldn’t get my propane torch to stay lit. I took it to the hardware store to see if I could get any help. The helpful guy at the store smiled, took my torch and loosened the tip. “If you don’t keep the tip loose, it won’t get any oxygen. No oxygen, no fire.” Hey, don’t be smug. You didn’t know that either.

So, I’m back home with my torch now and heating up the copper fittings on the shower valve. A propane torch gets very hot. But guess what? Temperatures hot enough to solder copper fittings are also hot enough to burn wood. My bathroom wall kept catching on fire! So I would hold the flame on the fittings with my right hand and beat out the flames on the studs with my gloved left hand. It was very exciting.

Did you know that for $15 you can get what they call a “heat shield”? You drape it behind the copper you’re heating—so you don’t burn down your house. How am I supposed to know that? I’ve never seen that on Ask This Old House.

I’m learning a lot. Don’t call me, though. You don’t have enough insurance for me to work on your house.

I’ve come to this conclusion. You can only learn so much by watching a program. At some point, if you want to become better at it, you have to do it.

That’s true about our faith, too. You can only learn so much from attending classes, services and conferences. At some point, if your faith is going to grow, you have to do. Not sing about it, read about it, or agree with someone else who’s talking about it. You have to DO IT. You have to serve, pray, give, witness—do. Will you stumble along the way? More than likely. Will you grow spiritually in the process? Without a doubt.

The one benediction we all covet for ourselves is the Lord pronouncing over us, not: “Well attended good and faithful servant,” but, “Well done good and faithful servant.”

Our Daughter's Wedding



Beautiful Bride-Proud Father

What a whirlwind weekend! Dale and I celebrated our daughter's wedding. Pictured to the right is the proud father dancing with the beautiful bride. And I didn't even step on her toes! I had the privilege of performing the ceremony. It was emotionally challenging, but also exhilarating. It produced a kind of ambivalence. It's what every parent wants and works toward: independence and maturity. And yet, I couldn't help but feel I was losing something...

Ah, well. What's the alternative? Perpetual adolescence? No thank you! Besides, she picked a wonderful young man who will love her and cherish her. Congratulations to you both!

Here's where my mind is today. You know how much you love your family. Well, that's how much I love my family, too. But the fact is, families don't last. Kids grow up and get married. Spouses die. Things change. Not even your family is permanent. In fact, if all you have in this life is your family, one day you will be a very lonely person. It takes more than family to make it in this life. It takes connection to God.  And the incarnation of Christmas reminds us that God has done everything necessary for us to make a meaningful, permanent connection with him. He has given us the gift of a Savior.

Investment Advice

There are many things I could point to with a profound sense of gratitude. But right now I’m thankful for memories. As Dan Quayle famously and clumsily said, “It’s a terrible thing to lose one’s mind.” Yes, it is. And the worst thing about it would be to lose the capacity to recall.

When I was growing up, the day after Thanksgiving wasn’t much of a shopping day. It was a fishing day. My dad, my older brother, and I would go fishing in the saltwater marshes of south Louisiana, in the heart of Plaquemines Parish, the Parish that was so devastated by hurricane Katrina. It was an all-day affair. We’d leave before light and get home after dark. And we were good, too. The fish celebrated our departure! Those are some of the best memories I have from my childhood.

Since I’m a preacher I feel I can relay a preacherly word. If you want to really be rich, invest in memories, not things. As the years go by, the value of things decreases, but the value of memories increases. In this uncertain and unstable economic world, you can’t claim that about very many investments.

For Sweet Music

This post is copied from my column in the Nov/ Dec issue of The Message.

When Dale and I have dinner together we always have candles and music. The candles are still very, very old school. A candle is a candle. But the delivery of music has changed a lot. We use to do the music the old fashioned way. We played the radio. And you take what you get—including the commercials. Then we upgraded; we got a CD player. We get the music, minus the commercials, but we’re limited to what we have on hand.

We’ve upgraded again. To something called Pandora. This is internet radio. It’s a step up even from satellite radio. It has no commercials, and, it’s free. And the sound quality is flawless. It works like this. You pick an artist, a style of music, or even just one song, and Pandora uses an algorithm to parse the music you’ve selected into something called a “Station,” and it will then go and find more music for you that is like it. I can enter, “Macy Gray,” or “Bach,” or “Chris Tomlin,” and Pandora will play their music, plus others who are like them. Each song that is played comes with a little “thumbs-up,” or “thumbs down,” for you to click. In this way, you can further and further refine your new Station.

I realize the analogy can’t be pressed very hard, but there is something of sanctification going on here. You sign up for a Station. This is the principle you agree with. It is, if you will, the Truth. When you finally humble yourself and submit to the truth, you find God bringing it to you from many different places. You will find the truth in Scripture, in worship, in music. You’ll find it in the countless ways and places you have to make decisions through the course of a week. And each time you respond to God’s truth with obedience it’s like you click “thumbs up.” Each little act of obedience causes God’s truth in you to become a little more refined, a little more focused. It’s like God has a great algorithm working in your life, slowly, day by day, making you a little more like Jesus. Jesus said, “Sanctify them [purify, consecrate, separate them for Yourself, make them holy] by the Truth; Your Word is Truth” (John 17:17, Amp.).

The more you respond in obedience to God, the sweeter the music of your life will sound.

Land of the Rising Sun





I’m glad to be home! Six of us spent ten days in Japan (seven days serving). The flight over was direct—14 ½ hours and 13 time zones. But I got much of that time back when I came home. I arrived in Atlanta 35 minutes before I left Japan. Think about that.

Though Japan is the 3^rd largest economy in the world it is very small in terms of land mass. Japan is slightly smaller than the state of California. The people are small of stature. Their cars are small. Their roads are small. Their houses are small. The doors in their houses are small. I nearly suffered a concussion from banging my head on doorways. Their hotels are small. The last 3 nights we were there I stayed in a single room in a hotel in downtown Tokyo. I could stand in the middle of the room and touch both walls. And my arms are not that long.

While there is a lot about Japan that is small, I can say from firsthand experience, their faith and their hearts are not. It’s not easy being a Christ follower in Japan. And it’s not easy to reach Japanese people with the gospel. Fewer than 1% of the people are Christian. Those believers we met are passionately dedicated to Christ and his church. You would love them immediately.

Thank you for your many prayers for our team. Our team was comprised of Keith and Anna Miller (team leaders), Fred and Sara Creighton, Bob McDuff (my roomie!), and me. We shared one small, three-bedroom apartment and one bathroom. We have become very close friends. Please continue to pray for open hearts among the Japanese people and encouragement for the believers there, as well as for the encouragement of our missionaries. Many thanks go out to Pastor Yoshio and the Shinkoiwa Baptist Church. I preached to this great congregation on October 30 (with Pastor Yoshio's smooth translation). Other team members shared their personal testimonies plus we led in Sunday morning Sunday School classes. In addition to this, during the week our team met with several small groups in members' homes in order to share our testimonies and ask and answer a wide variety of questions. We also did some prayer walking and passing out Japanese language tracts. Our team is planning a time soon to report on our trip and the wonderful ways we saw God at work.

A Birthday to Remember

I take pleasure in a lot of things.

• A steaming plate of Dale's shrimp creole.
• Late Thursday and the sermon is finished.
• Leaving for a week of vacation with JUST my wife.
• Watching someone in the congregation who is really getting their life together and growing closer to God.
• A sweater that fits.
• Changing the oil in my car.

But this weekend was memorable. It was my birthday! (double nickles, my kids like to say). Of course they treat me like I'm the King of the World (or at least the Western Hemisphere)--but you don't want to hear about that! My son and his wife Cristina and my daughter and her fiance Josh came to church with us Sunday, then came home with us for dinner.

They all got home from church before I did. As I went up the stairs from the garage I paused before opening the door. They were all in the kitchen, just down the hall. And they were really yucking it up--laughing and cutting up--it seemed like they were all talking at the same time. And I just stood there and listened. And I thought, "The things I spend my time worrying about are just not very important. This--this is important. This is really sweet. Today is a good day. Today is one to remember. Today is one of those days I'll want to come back for someday."

Of course, I still have to be 55 all year, but it sure got off to a great start.

The Bible says, "Parents rejoice when their children turn out well" (Pr. 23:24, The Message).

I'm finding this to be so very true.

Take That You #%&

This post is copied from the Sept./ Oct. '11 issue of The Message.

           The writer Klarissa Smith tells about a recent experience. “My 4-month-old daughter and I took a trip to the library. She babbled softly as I browsed through the books. As we walked, I heard an older man say gruffly, ‘Tell that kid to shut up, or I will.’ Angrily, I responded, ‘I am very sorry for whatever in your life caused you to be so disturbed by a happy baby, but I will not tell my baby to shut up, and I will not let you do so either.’



"Hey, you talkin' to me?"



            “I braced myself, expecting an outburst from him. Instead, he looked down, took a deep breath, and said softly, ‘I apologize.’ He looked up at me with tears in his eyes, and we remained silent. Finally, he looked at my daughter. She smiled at him and happily kicked her arms and legs. He wiped his eyes and said slowly, ‘My son died when he was 2-months-old.’

            “I moved to sit in the chair next to him. He went on to explain that his son died from SIDS over 50 years ago. He described how his anger grew, leading to a failed marriage and isolation. I asked him to tell me about his son. As he did so, he smiled back and forth with my daughter. Eventually, he asked to hold her. As he held her, his shoulders relaxed, and he briefly laid his cheek on her head. He returned her to me with a heartfelt ‘Thank you.’ I thanked him for sharing his story, and he quickly left.”

            I share this story fully aware that there are many stories that could illustrate a response to inappropriate, aggressive, hurtful words. But this one is useful because what it illustrates is so often true. There is often more going on in a person’s hurtful words than meets the eye. Don’t you know it’s true?

Hurt people hurt people.

            This is no excuse for hurtful behavior, but it can temper your response and lessen the likelihood of escalation. In this light I’ll offer two words:

1. Pastor Steve’s general operative guideline: Your clever return zinger is not nearly as helpful as you think it is.

2. God’s explicit command: “Summing up: Be agreeable, be sympathetic, be loving, be compassionate, be humble. That goes for all of you, no exceptions. No retaliation. No sharp-tongued sarcasm. Instead, bless—that’s your job, to bless. You’ll be a blessing and also get a blessing” (1P3:8-9,Msg).

Back-to-Church Day!

Former Gov., Sonny Perdue

Former Gov., Sonny Perdue led us in a great worship service Aug. 14. The emphasis for the day was, Back to Church. School resumes on Aug. 15 and, since the church year tends to follow the school year, we wanted to challenge our people to Get Back to Church! And Gov. Perdue helped us do just that.

His message to us was, "Return to God." He talked about his own period of brokenness when he was a young adult. He came face to face with the inescapable conclusion that all of his accomplishments were inadequate to bring meaning and purpose to his life. He was finally humbled and he returned to God, who welcomed him and restored him to right relationship.

What we find is this: meaning in life is always found in relationship.

Always.

And meaningful, enduring relationship always begins with God.

It's not too late for you to return to God. He'll welcome you with open arms.

P.S.: See my picture with my new best friend!

See the Gallery page of our website for a picture of Gov. Perdue speaking to the church.