A Time to Die

There's a time for everything in life...including death. As part of my "offical" duties as a Pastor, I spend time visiting people in the hospitals, nursing homes, officiating at funerals, etc. Well this morning I had the opportunity to visit a man from my congregation who is 80 years old and was sitiing in a nursing home waiting to die. I've got to admit - that's tough stuff! It's hard to find anything to talk about. It's hard for him to even have the energy to carry on a conversation I imagine. But one thing I said brought a twinkle to his eye. I said, You're ready to go home and be with Jesus aren't you?" And he responded by saying, "I sure am."

When my friend arrives in heaven, he will receive a new body for the rest of eternity. His pain will be gone. He will have a new source of energy that will allow him to live the way he was really designed to live form the very beginning. I could see it in his eyes: He couldn't wait for that day! And neither can I! Why do we avoid talking about death and dying? Why does it scare us so much? Why don't we look forwrad to it like we look forward to being with an old friend we haven't seen in such a long time? Maybe it's teh fear of the unknown...Maybe it's something else...But I pray that God gives me the faith to see what He has in store for me in the afterlife! How about you?

A Lot to Be Thankful For...

Little things...

Like a warm day...

Or a Deep Blue Sky...

My Health. My Family. My Freedom. My God.

Thank-you!

Friends?

What does a good friend look like? What commitments are made between two people to cause them to call their relationship a "friendship"? And what happens when someone breaks one of those commitments?

I recently had a friend who made a major life decision without including me in the decision-making process at all. We got together and my friend told me about the decision which had already been made. I have no idea why this casued me so much hurt and disappointment, but it did. It caused me to re-think our friendship - not just ours, but al lof my "friendships". What does a true friendship really look like anyway? Is it just time spent together? Or are there certain commitments two people make to each other that you don't go back on no matter what?

When I get hurt like this, my initial reaction is to pull everything in and not open up so much to anyone. I don't want to take the risk of getting hurt again I suppose. But I know that's not the right instinct. I have to keep opening up and pursuing friends. I need people who will be there for me. People need me to be there fo rthem. This life is meant to be lived in community with other people who stay committed to one another through thick and thin. But those relationships are just really hard to find. And even when you think you've found one, I'm discovering that you can't be too sure.

I'm glad the Scripture promises me that I have a "friend who sticks closer than a brother" in Jesus Christ. He has never left me. He has never gone back on His commitments to me. He will never let me down. I pray that I can be as good of a friend to the people who call me their friend! Help me Jesus. Help me...

What Do You Really Want?

Recently someone asked me how I was doing and I told them I felt "bored" with life. Things seemed so predictable and so mundane. This person told me, "Maybe you should go out there and do what you want to do for awhile. Maybe you need to be turned loose to your desires." That was an interesting thought to me. What are my desires? What do I relaly want? If I got down the road in my mind or in my ideal fantasy world, would I really want to live there? Or if I lived there for awhile, would I gain a greater appreciation for who I am and what I have in this world today? Let's just say that I've walked down that road in my mind...that road that always seems like it's better than the road I'm on right now...and it's a dead-end. It always leads me back to reality and all of the ways I've been blessed in my real world...right here, right now...today. God, thank-you for helping me learn the "secret" of contentment. Help me to be present in my world today! One day at a time depending upon you and living gratefully for everything you are and everything you do for me this day.

Disappointment

I spent a lot of time following my beloved Cleveland Indians this baseball season only to be disappointed once again. Up three games to one and losing to the Red Sox...it was almost too much for me to handle! I should probably just get used to disappointment. After all, only one team out of about 30 end up on top each year. Only one fan base is NOT disappointed. It's just so hard being a Cleveland fan. You're used to disappointment...almost jaded. Is there anything in this life that doesn't disappoint? Is there anything I can invest my time into that won't leave me feeling empty? It's certainly not sports! What about Jesus? Has He ever disappointed me? Has He ever let me down? Churches have. Pastors have. Christians have. But not Jesus. Lord, can we hang out awhile? I need some help learning how to handle my disappointments...

Focus

There's always alot going on in my life. There are many opportunities to get involved in a lot of really cool things. But which things are the best? Which things does God really want me to be involved with? What does it mean for me to focus? Do I have to let go of some of the good things to get to the best? Is good really the enemy of great? What should you be focusing in on right now in your life? What would it look like for you to create a "stop doing list"? Sometimes this is much easier said than done...

A Week Of Silence

Last week I had the privilege of spending 4 days at Gethsemene Abbey in Trappist, KY. It was my third trip to the Abbey for a week of silence and as usual, it was an incredible time with God. Gethsemene has been a silent monastery since 1848. Thomas Merton spent many years there developing his discipline of silence and solitude while writing his books and serving God. At Gethsemene the monks hold three things very dear: Prayer, Work and Spiritual Reading (Lexio Divina). I had the privilege of entering into all of these along with the monks and I'm always amazed at how they change me more into the image of Jesus. When I'm tired and burned-out like I was this year, It's critical for me to get away and be alone. To allow God's Spirit to refresh me and speak to my spirit. Only God can quell the busy-ness and driven-ness in my soul. I return more in love with Christ and more in tune with who He created me to be than I've ever been. Thank-you Lord for some time to pull away and rest. You are an awesome God and I can only pray that my brothers and sisters reading this will afford themselves the same opportunity to meet with you in the quietness of their daily lives.