My mom once smacked me in the face.  I’m not saying I didn’t deserve it.  I was 12 and had just told her to shut up.  Let’s just say that her smack made me stop and think about what I was doing and saying.  I never told my mom to shut up again!

Some of you probably know that this August Maranda and I are moving to Kentucky so I can go to seminary.  It’s a calling I have clearly heard, and yet I have run from, stifled, prepared for, and am now following.  Although it’s from God, it’s not without stress and problems.  Last week, Maranda and I were looking at our finances and trying to figure out how this would all work out.  I finally came to the conclusion that maybe we needed to rethink moving or put it off for a while.  Maranda, usually the one that always refocuses me on God was overwhelmed and thought that maybe we did need to rethink the situation.

Then we picked up My Utmost for His Highest a devotional by Oswald Chambers.  We usually read him in the morning, but this day we had saved him until before bed.  Here is what Oswald said:

“The wind really was boisterous and the waves really were high, but Peter didn’t see them at first.  He didn’t consider them at all; he simply recognized his Lord, stepped out in recognition of Him, and “walked on the water.”  Then he began to take those things around him into account, and instantly, down he went… We step right out with recognition of God in some things, then self-consideration enters our lives and down we go.  If you are truly recognizing your Lord, you have no business being concerned about how and where He engineers your circumstances.  The things surrounding you are real, but when you look at them you are immediately overwhelmed, and even unable to recognize Jesus.

Let’s just say that Maranda and I confessed our lack of faith and trust in Jesus before we went to bed.  Oswald smacked me pretty good.  It didn’t hurt as bad as when my mom did it, but it still made me come back to reality.  I’ve never been smacked in the face by a guy that’s been dead for 92 years…

Okay, so we’ve established the fact that I’m not good at taking time to blog.  I’m working on it!  In the meantime, I have to share something that I just came across on-line…

http://www.thebricktestament.com/

Check it out!  And Blake Dunn, I’m issuing this to you as a challenge!

Okay- I haven’t done so well lately in getting out blogs.  It seems like writing for this blog is the 10th item on my to-do list when I only have time for the first 8 or 9.   I’m sure you know what I mean.

So the other day, I was walking in the beautiful weather and got annoyed by the wind.  I said to myself, “If I were God, I wouldn’t make it so windy.”  I thought about it and laughed, because I have no idea what causes wind or how its made or for what purpose God made it so windy that day.  Nor did I know how to stop the wind or do anything about the wind, other than just live with it.  It made me feel small and powerless- and it bugged me.

I can think of so many times in my life that I get annoyed with God.  I know that I’m a church worker and I should never say such a thing, but there are times when God works in ways that I don’t like.  I dislike them mostly because they go against my comfort or my selfishness and force me to see my place as God’s servant and not the one in control.

For my next few blogs I want to write about some of the ways that God shows His Sovereignty- and I realize my place.  We’ll see how it goes…

Last night, my Games and Missions kids group read in Acts 9 where Saul (who hadn’t apparently changed his name quite yet!) escapes from Damascus.  Saul, the Jewish leader, who supported- maybe even led- the execution of Stephen and other lovers of Jesus, who didn’t have to even get his hands dirty with their blood, but stood and held everyone elses coats- has an experience with Jesus and suddenly has new life.  He has experienced victory over death through the grace of Jesus’ love and sacrifice.  Now he finds himself a wanted man in Damascus.  He is in danger of losing his life now.  The man who came to Damascus to capture Jesus lovers and bring them proudly to Jerusalem in chains is now hiding  in a basket and escaping through a crack in the walls of Damascus.  I’m sure to Saul it didn’t feel like a very victorious moment.  But we can’t judge what God is doing based on what we are feeling.  Saul realizes the good work that God is doing and continues to preach, to praise and to share.

My question for the kids was how has Jesus changed the way you live your life?  Can others see the new creation in you?  Are you guided mostly by feelings or your faith and trust in the goodness and faithfulness of God?

Like the rest of the church, the 4th and 5th graders looked at the story of Jesus and the Samaritan woman last Wednesday night. I love sharing this story with kids- although I have to admit its really hard for me to explain the sinful life of the woman in a way that the kids understand but which will also not get me fired!

Anyways, I love how Jesus wants to talk to her, disregarding social norms of the time regarding Samaritans and women- especially of her reputation. Jesus isn’t quick to condemn her past life. He doesn’t tell her why adultery is wrong. He doesn’t question when she last attended worship or inquired after who she was in fellowship with. He starts out by loving her.

Jesus goes after the person, not her sin. He wants to meet with her, to reveal to her that He is the Messiah she is waiting for, to allow her to realize that He is what she has been thirsting for her entire life!

Jesus sees her sin, and yet still wants to love the person. I want to be more like that!

Most of you who know me know that my wife, Maranda, just had nose and sinus surgery. We both hate doctors and all things medical, so it was quite an ordeal- but that’s another subject…

Now Maranda is in recovery. She is tired. She is in pain a lot. She is on lots of medication. And she needs a lot of help- that’s where I come in. I get to be the servant.

There hasn’t been a lot of times that someone has needed me as much as Maranda has this week. She feels guilty about it. She apologizes all the time.

What she can’t understand is that I am enjoying serving her. It has given my role as her husband a new purpose. Now more than ever, I have a concrete idea of how I’m supposed to live- not for myself, but for God and other people. I love it. Thank you God for giving me this opportunity to serve Maranda!

Today I found out that a former coworker committed suicide a few weeks ago. When I found out I immediately felt sick to my stomach. Suicide seems so ugly. So much hurt and pain are left in the aftermath.

Things like this make me want to hold tight to everything and everybody I love in this world. To me, it is a reminder of the urgency of the Gospel of Christ. There are so many that are hurting and need Him…

Please pray for my friends’ family.

We are told to come before God with honesty.  I believe David’s honesty is at least partially why he is called “a man after God’s own heart.”  If most of us were writing a song to God we would sing about His greatness and power, through some verses about His love and beauty, and then conclude with a chorus about His provision and wisdom.  And I think that God would be pleased- if it was genuine.

But there would be times it wouldn’t be genuine coming from me.  That’s why I like David.  Look at what he wrote to the almighty and perfect Creator who could crush him with His Holy pinkie toe.

He speaks with anger:  “O God my rock,” I cry, “Why have you forgotten me?  Why must I wander around in grief, oppressed by my enemies?”  -Psalm 42:9
He speaks in despair:  “Please listen and answer me, for I am overwhelmed by my troubles.”  -Psalm 55:2
He speaks in confusion:  “Help, O Lord, for the godly are fast disappearing!  The faithful have vanished from the earth!”  -Psalm 13:1

And God loves it!  He is not afraid of our hurt, our anger, our words or our feelings.  He is willing to get messy for us.  He just wants us to turn to Him!

I was just in Target. I had some odds and ends to buy for home and Sunday school and people were going nuts! Apparently, we Iowans- who pride ourselves about how well we drive on the snow and how we don’t let the snow stop us from anything- get freaked out about not having groceries when 2-4 inches of snow are heading our way.

Its interesting what people decide is urgent. For Target shoppers today- milk and lunch meat were so urgently needed that they were able to justify their rudeness and their running me down with their shopping carts. I’m a person too and I have misplaced urgency sometimes. Like if I know LOST or Survivor are going to be on in moments and I’ve forgotten to record them, I am willing to drive freakishly or avoid talking to someone in order to get home.

It would be interesting if we Christians placed urgency on the things we need to be urgent about… I can’t imagine what a difference we’d make if we put all our shopping cart pushing, maniac driving energy on something eternal!

So, I’m procrastinating.  I have a looming project to do (well, not actually a weaving project, just something I am not looking forward to)  and I just don’t want to get started so I thought I’d check out what wisdom I can get from the other GUMC staffers.  Kim wrote about how she thinks Cotton in My Ears would be a great name for a rock band.  That reminded me of one of my favorite games to play when you are sitting in church with your Bible and just not getting into the sermon -which never happens with you, Pastor Glenn, if you’re reading this.

Anyways, its called- what could the name of my Christian band be if suddenly the Holy Spirit blesses me with musical talent.  My favorite for most of my life has been “The Cedars of Lebanon.”  These mighty trees were used in the construction of Solomon’s Temple.  God also shatters these might trees with just His voice in Psalm 29:5.  You could have your own broken for God’s use analogy here…

A more recent favorite fake Christian band name was Ebenezer Stones after the stone Samuel placed to help his people remember the provision and help God gave them in 1 Samuel 7:12.  I think the name sounds cool.  I was heart broken when  Google told me there is a Christian band out of Kentucky that stole the name of my fake band!  I feel they owe me some type of reimbursement…

So, do any of you have suggestions for my fake band name?  I need to be prepared.