I have been repeatedly challenged about the importance of reading non fiction books over the past serveral months (and even years). I often will just shrug it off because I am too busy to read, or push it aside because too many books have too many seeds that need to be spit out. I once heard the comparison between reading a book and eating a watermelon. It's fine to enjoy the fruit, but make sure that you spit out the seeds. Sometimes, identifying the seeds is difficult, sometimes it is hard, but we need to be discerning readers when we are reading materials written by man (this blog included).
The book I am currently finishing up is "Thinking For a Change", by John Maxwell. I think the title has a double meaning - firstly of thinking that will bring change (improvement) to our lives, and thinking, as opposed to not thinking in our lives (for a change).
The book is well written, and thoughtful (I guess it has to be, right). It approaches the idea of thinking from many different angles that continues through the book to expand on the picture he is drawing - that purposeful, thinking makes a difference in the outcomes of our endeavors. While some of the chapters seemed to me as repetitive and overlapping, they each gave a slightly different twist to his main point, and were helpful in that way.
The 'seeds' of the book were clear by the second chapter. Maxwell states "And if I had stayed the same, I never would have spoken to more than the few hundred people I had in my first church. But I desired to reach my potential, to go to the highest level of which I was capable. I was determined to improve." This sounds good and even spiritual in trying to be the best we can be, but there are some seeds below the surface. Maxwell is a business man, he believes bigger is better. To Maxwell, preaching to a few hundred people at his first church was a waste of his potential. In his thinking, small churches have mediocre pastors, but the good pastors are given bigger churches. I'm all for personal improvement, but wouldn't leadership at his first 'small' church have been a better test of his leadership? This 'seed' is the lack of distinction between the way God's kingdom works, and the way things work in the kingdoms of men. From that point on, it was easy to digest the fruit without choking on the seeds.
I desire to be a better pastor, a better communicator, an better leader, a better evangelist, a better father, a better husband, a better friend, a better neighbor, . . . (you get the idea). I desire these things, not so that I can get a bigger church, speak to more people, lead 'better' people, get 'better' children, get a 'better' wife, get 'better' friends, or a 'better' neighborhood. I desire these things so that I can be found faithful. You might think that being a good pastor is different than being a better husband. The connection between pastor and church is much different between husband and wife. I agree, a husband and wife is a bond until death separates the two, but shouldn't a pastor be committed to the flock God has led him to? Not 'til death do us part, but at least until God separates. "What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder" would apply to churches and pastors if we understand that God leads a man to his ministry.
I'll get off my soap box now, but I use my soap box to encourage and strengthen my resolve and my choices to live a godly life. I hope it encourages you, as well.
Monday, July 19, 2010
Monday, July 5, 2010
Nothing Better in Life Nothing Better For a Man . . .
"There is nothing better for a man, than that he should eat and drink, and that he should make his soul enjoy good in his labour. This also I saw, that it was from the hand of God."
- Ecclesiastes 2:24
For many years, I have enjoyed the good in my labor. I learned in my family the joy and fulfillment in working. The good of accomplishing a task, the enjoyment of being physically tired, the pleasure in being able to do things with my own two hands. I enjoyed being reminded from Scripture last week in my Bible reading that this joy is from the hand of God. Labor is a gift from God, and the blessing that we receive from it is one of those "good and perfect" gifts from God.
This past week or so I have been able to enjoy some opportunities of physical labor for others. Last week, I got to learn some haying and enjoy being tired from throwing around bales of hay. Today I got to do some cleaning on a construction site. Lathe and plaster is wonderful stuff to clean up, such a sense of fulfillment from cleaning it up and leaving the rooms cleaned up and ready for the next part of the project.
Of those that probably read my blog, most are hard workers and know this joy, but if you were looking for some encouragement this week, even God's Word tells us that labor is good. With the heat of this week, take it easy, but enjoy not just the fruit of your labor, but enjoy the labor itself.
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Garden Growth
It's official now that Memorial Day is past, up in in the north, gardening season is underway. We often get late frosts as late as the first or second week in June, so we have to approach this season with caution. I think we are past the frosts, but I did wake up this morning with the temperature already rising. At 6 am, the temperature was 40 degrees, I imagine 5 am was a couple of degrees cooler.
Normally, this is the time of year I fall behind in my garden. I plant carrots, beets & onions early, but when I go to plant the rest of the garden, weeds overtake my early plantings. So far, the beets, onions and carrots have been weeded at least once, and all have been weeded in the last week.
Gardens are fun for me, and many say that I have a green thumb. I'm not sure about my thumb, but I know that gardening is a lot of work. The ground has to be prepared, the seed or seedling planted at the right depth, sufficient water and food need to be available to the plants, and plants have to be able to grow free from weeds or animals digging them up. Why do I go through the effort? Because I want the fruit of my labor - tasty, fresh vegetables.
The same can be said in our walk with God. Some people we may look at and say "They are just naturally a more spiritual person," but a vibrant spiritual life can be considered a lot of work. We have to prepare our hearts with humility and a dependence on God. We have to get God's Word planted in us from seed (reading the Bible) or seedling (sermons and Bible lessons) in the prepared soil of our heart in a way that it will spring forth and grow, rather than rot in the ground. We have to feed and water these truths by bathing our lives in prayer and continuing to feed on God's Word. As with many plants, it also helps to grow near and with others (like corn) so the winds of life don't push us over. We have to be vigilant to weed out of our hearts thoughts and influences that don't belong, and protect God's truth from crows that would pluck the seed out of our hearts, and dogs who would dig them up.
A lot of work. Why would anyone do it? For the fruits that come - a life that pleases God and receives His favor. I normally post a verse at this point, but this post, I'm going to add a verse from a Hymn we sang on Sunday.
Normally, this is the time of year I fall behind in my garden. I plant carrots, beets & onions early, but when I go to plant the rest of the garden, weeds overtake my early plantings. So far, the beets, onions and carrots have been weeded at least once, and all have been weeded in the last week.
Gardens are fun for me, and many say that I have a green thumb. I'm not sure about my thumb, but I know that gardening is a lot of work. The ground has to be prepared, the seed or seedling planted at the right depth, sufficient water and food need to be available to the plants, and plants have to be able to grow free from weeds or animals digging them up. Why do I go through the effort? Because I want the fruit of my labor - tasty, fresh vegetables.
The same can be said in our walk with God. Some people we may look at and say "They are just naturally a more spiritual person," but a vibrant spiritual life can be considered a lot of work. We have to prepare our hearts with humility and a dependence on God. We have to get God's Word planted in us from seed (reading the Bible) or seedling (sermons and Bible lessons) in the prepared soil of our heart in a way that it will spring forth and grow, rather than rot in the ground. We have to feed and water these truths by bathing our lives in prayer and continuing to feed on God's Word. As with many plants, it also helps to grow near and with others (like corn) so the winds of life don't push us over. We have to be vigilant to weed out of our hearts thoughts and influences that don't belong, and protect God's truth from crows that would pluck the seed out of our hearts, and dogs who would dig them up.
A lot of work. Why would anyone do it? For the fruits that come - a life that pleases God and receives His favor. I normally post a verse at this point, but this post, I'm going to add a verse from a Hymn we sang on Sunday.
Must I be carried to the skies
On flowery beds of ease,
While others fought to win the prize
And sailed through bloody seas?
I hope any garden you've planted in dirt or in your heart is receiving the attention it needs today.
Sunday, May 23, 2010
The Purpose of Pain
I have realized this week that we often have a disjointed view of pain. When pain causes me to pull my hand back from further injury from a flame, or a sharp object, or a moving object scraping away my skin, I view pain as a good thing. I appreciate the warning that the pain is to me in removing my hand from the place where further injury could occur.
When a pain causes us to go to the doctor and get checked out, so that the doctor finds the underlying cause of the pain and fixes something that could have caused our body a great deal of harm. While we do not enjoy the pain, we can appreciate the purpose it has served in our body.
Pain is God's way of telling us that there is something wrong. For those who suffer from chronic pain, it would be easy to say "Enough!," but the truth remains that the pain tells us that there is something wrong.
Our view of pain becomes disjointed when we move away from the physical realm. Pain in relationships. Pain from people, pain in losing something we care about. These things aren't physical pain, although the pain caused can affect us physically. When we move into this realm, we more often than not view the pain as the problem. We seek to remove the pain. Someone has hurt me, I will not give them that opportunity again so we shut them out. We have lost someone we love, so we purpose not to love that deeply again. We take offense at something someone says to us, and we view them as the problem.
If we carry over our lesson from physical pain, could it be that we often look to solve our pain by fixing other people? Why is that? Could it be that emotional pain in our hearts and minds is more indicative of something wrong in us? Why do I take offense at gossip shared about me? Because I have pride in who I am, or in what I've done, and it hurts my pride. Certainly the gossip is wrong, and should be fixed, but is it possible that the pain is pointing to a part of myself that also needs to get fixed? If we dealt with the pain from that perspective, it will free us up to forgive as God desires us to.
I don't know if I've been as clear as the thoughts seem to be in my mind, today, but I hope I've encouraged you to view emotional pain in a different light. As a symptom of pride in some form in our lives that needs to be dealt with. When we count up the wrongs against us in our minds, it forms a blockade in our hearts against forgiveness, but when we take ourselves out of the picture, remove the pride that tells us that we deserve better treatment than we got, we'll be free to live without pain, and with forgiving hearts.
Why deal with pride? because:
When a pain causes us to go to the doctor and get checked out, so that the doctor finds the underlying cause of the pain and fixes something that could have caused our body a great deal of harm. While we do not enjoy the pain, we can appreciate the purpose it has served in our body.
Pain is God's way of telling us that there is something wrong. For those who suffer from chronic pain, it would be easy to say "Enough!," but the truth remains that the pain tells us that there is something wrong.
Our view of pain becomes disjointed when we move away from the physical realm. Pain in relationships. Pain from people, pain in losing something we care about. These things aren't physical pain, although the pain caused can affect us physically. When we move into this realm, we more often than not view the pain as the problem. We seek to remove the pain. Someone has hurt me, I will not give them that opportunity again so we shut them out. We have lost someone we love, so we purpose not to love that deeply again. We take offense at something someone says to us, and we view them as the problem.
If we carry over our lesson from physical pain, could it be that we often look to solve our pain by fixing other people? Why is that? Could it be that emotional pain in our hearts and minds is more indicative of something wrong in us? Why do I take offense at gossip shared about me? Because I have pride in who I am, or in what I've done, and it hurts my pride. Certainly the gossip is wrong, and should be fixed, but is it possible that the pain is pointing to a part of myself that also needs to get fixed? If we dealt with the pain from that perspective, it will free us up to forgive as God desires us to.
I don't know if I've been as clear as the thoughts seem to be in my mind, today, but I hope I've encouraged you to view emotional pain in a different light. As a symptom of pride in some form in our lives that needs to be dealt with. When we count up the wrongs against us in our minds, it forms a blockade in our hearts against forgiveness, but when we take ourselves out of the picture, remove the pride that tells us that we deserve better treatment than we got, we'll be free to live without pain, and with forgiving hearts.
Why deal with pride? because:
"He must increase,
but I must decrease"
John 3:30
Thursday, May 13, 2010
God is Good
It almost feels silly to title a blog entry that "God is good." Of course He is good, basically, the whole point of my blog is to comment on situations in life and show God's goodness and how God shows his love and mercy and grace in all of life's circumstances. Many things over the past few weeks have been piling up to declare God's goodness, and I wanted to share some of them.
God promises to provide for our needs. We know that, but normally we like to figure out how it will all work out. I'm a budget guy, I like to see it in my budget, figure out how to make the budget work, and stick to it. The problem is, 6 growing children has made it harder and harder to stick to our budget in the food and clothing categories. Not the end of the world, I assure you, but still something that was beginning to weigh on my mind. Garage sales had come up short the last two summers, the garden hasn't been as productive in the freezing and canning areas, so we were beginning to feel a pinch.
A couple of weeks ago, I began more earnestly praying for God to provide our needs. At times it feels selfish, because we already have so much, but I knew that God wants us to call out to him and trust his provision. Strange things have been happening ever since. We had a windfall of clothing finds at the first set of garage sales of the season, on top of a friend offering to buy things we needed at garage sales. So much for the clothing budget pinch. We continue to pray that God would provide for those needs, but less worried about how. That's up to God.
Last week, I got a check in the mail from the NY labor dept. It said that I had been underpaid at a previous job over 6 years ago, and the check was what was owed me by my previous employer. Not a significant check, but a reminder that God has more resources to meet our needs than we know about.
This week, we were the beneficiaries of some leftover food from a wedding reception. I had just told the church on Sunday that it is strange to pray for our daily bread when we know where it is already - whether we have the loaves on the counter, or have the flour to make bread in the cupboard. But there, in the pile of food that was given to us, were 36 rolls to go with the sliced roast beef. Truth was, I didn't know where my daily bread was coming from, and God had to remind me. It comes from him.
These are the highlights, but by no means the total of God's blessings over the past few weeks. I could tell of God working to neutralize gossip and false witness in the church and town, of God working in a families lives to grow and challenge them in Gods Word, of answers to prayer on many fronts. Sometimes we focus on the struggles and the challenges, but today, I wanted to focus on the blessings. God is good!
God promises to provide for our needs. We know that, but normally we like to figure out how it will all work out. I'm a budget guy, I like to see it in my budget, figure out how to make the budget work, and stick to it. The problem is, 6 growing children has made it harder and harder to stick to our budget in the food and clothing categories. Not the end of the world, I assure you, but still something that was beginning to weigh on my mind. Garage sales had come up short the last two summers, the garden hasn't been as productive in the freezing and canning areas, so we were beginning to feel a pinch.
A couple of weeks ago, I began more earnestly praying for God to provide our needs. At times it feels selfish, because we already have so much, but I knew that God wants us to call out to him and trust his provision. Strange things have been happening ever since. We had a windfall of clothing finds at the first set of garage sales of the season, on top of a friend offering to buy things we needed at garage sales. So much for the clothing budget pinch. We continue to pray that God would provide for those needs, but less worried about how. That's up to God.
Last week, I got a check in the mail from the NY labor dept. It said that I had been underpaid at a previous job over 6 years ago, and the check was what was owed me by my previous employer. Not a significant check, but a reminder that God has more resources to meet our needs than we know about.
This week, we were the beneficiaries of some leftover food from a wedding reception. I had just told the church on Sunday that it is strange to pray for our daily bread when we know where it is already - whether we have the loaves on the counter, or have the flour to make bread in the cupboard. But there, in the pile of food that was given to us, were 36 rolls to go with the sliced roast beef. Truth was, I didn't know where my daily bread was coming from, and God had to remind me. It comes from him.
These are the highlights, but by no means the total of God's blessings over the past few weeks. I could tell of God working to neutralize gossip and false witness in the church and town, of God working in a families lives to grow and challenge them in Gods Word, of answers to prayer on many fronts. Sometimes we focus on the struggles and the challenges, but today, I wanted to focus on the blessings. God is good!
Praise ye the LORD.
O give thanks unto the LORD;
O give thanks unto the LORD;
for he is good:
for his mercy endureth for ever.
for his mercy endureth for ever.
Psalm 106:1
Friday, April 23, 2010
Chickens, Part II
I've learned a lot about chickens in the last few weeks. They are often classified as not too smart. They will kick their food out of the dish, they will kick bedding into the water dish, sometimes they will shiver rather than go toward the heat lamp, and sometimes, you may have to gently put a chicken's beak in the water to get it to drink.
This morning, while cleaning out one of the brooder compartments, one with chicks in it that we have had two full weeks now, I was impressed with how terrified these chicks are of me. We have fed them, cleaned their bedding, provided fresh, clean water, and provided adequate heat as their feathers are growing in. But they are still terrified to be held. We are told that the more time a chick spends being held and in contact with humans, the tamer they will be as adult chickens around humans.
I suppose they don't know what is going on, for the most part, and are scared, wondering what I will do to them. Yet it is a neat principle for us to understand: the more the contact, the more comfortable they become. On the spiritual side, the more contact we have with God, through prayer and time in His Word, the more comfortable we are with Him. As we learn and grow, the difficulties in life won't terrify us as they did before, because we'll trust God's hands. We won't doubt His plan and how it is playing out in our lives, because we have become comfortable with His handling of us.
Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore. - Psalm 16:11
God's presence is terrifying to think of in terms of His holiness and righteousness, but when we understand His love, kindness, and care for us, His presence can be a source of joy in our lives.
This morning, while cleaning out one of the brooder compartments, one with chicks in it that we have had two full weeks now, I was impressed with how terrified these chicks are of me. We have fed them, cleaned their bedding, provided fresh, clean water, and provided adequate heat as their feathers are growing in. But they are still terrified to be held. We are told that the more time a chick spends being held and in contact with humans, the tamer they will be as adult chickens around humans.
I suppose they don't know what is going on, for the most part, and are scared, wondering what I will do to them. Yet it is a neat principle for us to understand: the more the contact, the more comfortable they become. On the spiritual side, the more contact we have with God, through prayer and time in His Word, the more comfortable we are with Him. As we learn and grow, the difficulties in life won't terrify us as they did before, because we'll trust God's hands. We won't doubt His plan and how it is playing out in our lives, because we have become comfortable with His handling of us.
Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore. - Psalm 16:11
God's presence is terrifying to think of in terms of His holiness and righteousness, but when we understand His love, kindness, and care for us, His presence can be a source of joy in our lives.
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Chickens!
No, I'm not calling names. We have recently been working at raising chicks. That will be my excuse of the day for not blogging for the last several weeks. We are well into the process of raising chickens - a pretty, red coop in the side yard, a reinforced run for the chickens to roam in, and heat lamps in the brooder room full of 22 baby and not so baby chicks. They range from a few days old, up to 4-5 weeks old at this point. We have Cornish Rock (meat birds), Rhode Island Red, White Leghorn, Amberlinks, and some assorted birds that we are unsure of what they are as of yet.
This far into the process, we have learned something. Chickens are a lot of work! Building the coop, preparing the brooders, cleaning the brooders, feeding and watering the chickens. There has been plenty to do! There hasn't been any complaints about all the work, as of yet. The families love for the cute, cudly chickens, and my love for designing and building things have made the work light.
We heard that chickens are easy to raise, and I guess in comparison, they are right. Compared to children, chicks are low maintenance. Compared to cows, they don't eat very much. Compared to elephants, they don't soil their bedding much.
Then I think of our Heavenly Father. He not only provides for the chickens of the field (loose translation), and the flowers of the field, but He provides for us. What a lot of work that must entail on a daily basis - but my God is up to the task, and has the love to mean that the work will not become a burden to him.
As you think of the work you have in caring for your responsibilities, remember the joy Our Heavenly Father has in caring for His responsibilities and smile, realizing that even though His burden is so great, He has promised to take all of our cares upon Him as well.
This far into the process, we have learned something. Chickens are a lot of work! Building the coop, preparing the brooders, cleaning the brooders, feeding and watering the chickens. There has been plenty to do! There hasn't been any complaints about all the work, as of yet. The families love for the cute, cudly chickens, and my love for designing and building things have made the work light.
We heard that chickens are easy to raise, and I guess in comparison, they are right. Compared to children, chicks are low maintenance. Compared to cows, they don't eat very much. Compared to elephants, they don't soil their bedding much.
Then I think of our Heavenly Father. He not only provides for the chickens of the field (loose translation), and the flowers of the field, but He provides for us. What a lot of work that must entail on a daily basis - but my God is up to the task, and has the love to mean that the work will not become a burden to him.
As you think of the work you have in caring for your responsibilities, remember the joy Our Heavenly Father has in caring for His responsibilities and smile, realizing that even though His burden is so great, He has promised to take all of our cares upon Him as well.
Humble yourselves therefore
under the mighty hand of God,
that he may exalt you in due time:
Casting all your care upon him;
for he careth for you.- I Peter 5:6-7
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)