Time and Time Again

So, as I sit here at the coast, I ponder.  My wife and son stayed home this weekend.  She had to work and there was a baby shower for a good friend of hers.  It has given me some time to think about the next move in our lives.

To update the neat things that have been happening at the coastal church I have been pastoring since October, there have been two more baptisms and it looks like at least two addition baptisms for the end of April or May.  It is thrilling and humbling to see so much growth.   We also have seen more growth in the month of April than at any other time.

Last Sunday night, I shared with the church my observations and recommendations regarding the future of this church and the potential impact upon its community.

I shared with them five areas that, I believe, should be invested in and that would strengthened and help make this little “light” in the community more effective.

1. Have aggressive outreach and ministry programs.  (To reach the residents of the community)
2. A quality Children’s ministry expansion. (There are more young families with children than realized)
3. Develop quality new servant-leadership. (Have younger and more leaders to effectively do ministry)
4. Have worship services conducive to all ages. (Blended, focused, smooth)
5. To strengthen current youth ministries. (To reach current teens and develop for future teens)

There are many ways, ministries, and programs that could be utilized to accomplish this, but first the church as a whole needed to determine its vision, its purpose, and its desire so that it could follow where and how they felt God was leading.

After presented facts, data, ideas and thoughts on all of these matters, I was asked my thoughts on how that all could be accomplished.  Simply put, I told them that we should engage in a discipleship strategy for growth and service, to grow our own leadership, and there is a need for a full-time on site pastor.

But, that pastor is not me.  While we have been blessed serving here in our circuit riding experience, while the church has experienced physical growth and spiritual growth, and while there is an expectant excitement that is the pulse of this church now, I am uncertain if I am the one who could successfully lead them into the next phase of their ministries.

This is a difficulty thing for us, as my wife and I have gone over the pluses and the minuses of serving here.  We see avenues of opportunity and possibilities being full time at this coastal church.  And the draw and desire of living beside the ocean is quite attractive.  Not to mention the friends that have been made here.

Ultimately it will boil down to where God is leading the church and us, and what He wants to do.  I believe that this church benefits from a humble, wise, energetic man of God, who sees the same vision that is being formulated and discovered by this church.

And I am good with that.  Living in two places has seemed to hone us in wanting to be where God wants us and we realize that we can serve Him anywhere.  I do wonder what role I will find myself as we leave here and “come home”.

But part of this whole life of ours and the writing of this blog, was the "search for the elusive dream", and an "attempt to take a risk and live out in faith".  So off we go.  Time and time again.

Hello Again, Hello

If anybody still cares, I am still here.  Yes, I realize that I have not written here in two months, and then only twice in four months.  But here on the eve of St. Patrick’s Day, I couldn’t sleep so I thought I would fire something off.

I am here in the morning at our coastal cottage preparing for what will be another busy, whirlwind weekend of ministry.  If you recall, our lives are quite busy with T. working Monday-Thursday at the University.  Then we leave Thursday afternoon for a Friday-Sunday stay at the coast where I am the interim pastor for a little church. 

We are busy.  And tired.  Not here to complain as many of you are busy as well, but just to let you know we are stretched pretty thin.  One of the reasons that I have not written much here is due to that busyness.  And I have been writing sermons and Bible studies.  It leaves little time for much else. 

Another reason is that since I am “technically” an interim, I thought it unfair to talk much in detail about our life here, as we have not determined if my ministry service would continue after the interim agreement was over.  We agreed to commute and pastor here on Friday-Sunday until July 1, 2012, which now is about three months away.  At that time, or perhaps before, the decision would be made on our part and the pat of the church what the next step would be.  The options seem to be; 1) continue to serve on the weekends and make the commute, 2) move here to the coast and live full-time, or 3) end our time here and stay in our house and go back to the church we were attending.

I believe a decision has been made on our part, unless we get a strong indication from God to the contrary.  Not going to tell you what that is yet, but would like to share some of the events of the past five months.  Some will be numbers, some are successes, and some are requiring me into deep contemplation.

When we started at this church on October 23^rd, these were the numbers as given to us:

Average worship attendance- 40
Average adult Sunday School- 12
Average youth attendance- 3
Average children attendance- 4
Last baptism- 1 in July 2010

As of today:

Average worship attendance- 52
Average adult Sunday School- 21
Average youth attendance- 3 to 4 (about the same
Average children attendance- 8
Baptisms- 4
New members-6
Rededication- 1

Highest attendance- 78 (thanks to a college group having a retreat in the area)

Second highest attendance- 66
Lowest attendance- 45

We have also seen an excitement and eagerness in the members as they have seen growth, not only numerically but spiritually.

Looking at the numbers may seem like a small increase, but when the town is a vacation/retirement type of community of about 752 people, the percentage is significant.

We had a Christmas Eve candle service. My lovely T.  put together one of her best ones to date.  Many of them had never attended such a service.  This Saturday, my wife is also throwing one of her infamous St. Patrick’s Day party.  

So, all in all, it has been a very exciting and positive experience, with good statistics, I might add.  But, it is a traditional church, with traditional thinking.  That, in and of itself, is not necessarily bad, but it can lead to a safe and comfortable feeling, which keeps numerical growth to a minimum.  Change is difficult, but it is necessary.

I have been strategically preaching and teaching about how we, as the church of God, need to reach our community, and take down any “barriers” we have erected that hinders people from coming and desiring to become part of His kingdom.  All “barriers” except for the cross. 

This is a church body that does well when people come to them.  They care for them, truly love them, and try to meet their needs, be it food, shelter, clothing, care, assistance, a ride, prayer, counsel, or direction.  It does, however, lack in the going out in outreach and “invading” the community with the gospel.  This is critical for the life of any church.  And it is commanded.

My deep contemplation comes from an event that happened just one week ago on Saturday.  Right next door to the church building is a business. Ten feet away.  And last Saturday, the owner had determined that life just wasn’t worth living anymore.  Ten feet away.  I have met some owners of various retail businesses, and met with employees, and talked with many a transient, vacationer, and town residents regarding our church, Jesus, and my ministry here. 

But not at that business. Not him. Not just ten feet away.  Ten feet away from a building that houses people who have come into a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.  Ten feet away from Christians, whose purpose here on earth is to love God and love their neighbor.  Ten feet away from people who have the message of good news and hope and life eternal. 

I am so sorry. 

Our church, our churches must be relevant. And for you, look ten feet away.  Who do you see?

What Matters

Well, it has been over a month since I have posted anything.  It is not because I have run out of words.  On the contrary, there is much vocabulary in my mind.  And I have been writing other things.  Sermons.  Since I have taken on this coastal pastorate, there has been little time to write any thing else.  Even though it is part time, two sermons a week are needed, one for the morning service and one for the evening service.  And then there is a Bible study to prepare.  I am not complaining, but is has left me short on time to write my posts.  And to take pictures.  I have not done much with my photography website either. 

But I have enjoyed preparing messages.  And messages that matter.  Millions of words are written, spoken, and sung every day, but only some that are lasting.  It is enjoyable to laugh and tell amusing stories, and even to sing current songs, but very few words will make a difference in the lives of people.  And that is what I want to do. Give, speak, and write words that effect change, or the potential to change people’s lives.

Now it doesn’t mean that I won’t write funny stuff and still post humorous things on the old social network and all, but for the most part, it’s time to be serious.  I have been quite stirred in my mind and heart since I have resumed pastoring.  It has helped me to see the need in humanity.  The need to be loved, the need to matter, and the need for meaning.  And I want to be a part of that.

Gotta go.

The Little Things

I have been trying to do the following little actions while I am the interim pastor of this small coastal church.


Although I have thoroughly enjoyed myself up to now, and I have surprisingly learned a few things about myself and my God; my wife and I are still operating on the assumption that our tenure there is only until the end of June. And that means that there is not a whole lot of time to accomplished what God would have us do.

So, that means we have to be quite focused and intentional in regards to ministry. Their initial need in a pastor that they wanted filled was, in this order, to show pastoral care as a shepherd, to be strong as a preacher, and finally to be able to conduct out reach.

I set up a visitation sheet for the members in which to sign up. Since I am only there from Friday through Sunday, this sheet would give me the ability to visit those who desired one on one time with the pastor. To date, there have only been four who have utilized the sign up sheet, but hopefully in time more will use the sign up list. And for those who thought the wanted a pastor who would visit his members, the sheet shows my attempt in this area.

They also wanted someone who was a strong preacher or speaker. This is the area I am the most confident in. I am not saying that I am wonderful at speaking, but I try very hard to communicate clearly and in a way that can be understood. And apparently I have a lot of stories to share. I make sure every word is thought out and either used or not used depending upon the need.

The third is outreach. How this small band of believers can effectively be light to a community who thinks differently than they do is the challenge. Since the holidays are upon us, this is a natural time for reaching other people. But when January comes, our church will have to intentionally focus on reaching a people who do not know Jesus.

But now, back to the little things. And I know that they may, on the surface, seem insignificant, but I pray that they are being useful.

1. Since I am only there on the weekends for face to face, I have started e-mailing the people who attend our church, at least those with e-mails, a couple of Bible verses with a little commentary on my part. I call it “Mid-Week Musings of the Minister”. I am picking verses in the Psalms. My intent is to share comfort, give encouragement, and show how much God care about us.

2. Every week, before Sunday morning, I will write a note on the dry erase boards in the children’s and youth classroom. It is usually something short like, “Hey, don’t forget you are loved by the King”, but I think and hope they like it.

3. On Saturday, I have been walking the sanctuary and looking at each seat that will be available for the service on the next day and I say a quick prayer that the Lord would bless those who will come and sit. I also pray that I would be able to communicate His word accurately and clearly.

4. Even though for most of the time we have been at the coast, we have experienced a lot of wind and rain, I have been able to walk the few short blocks to the church building from the cottage where we are staying. The bad weather seems to take a break at the time I need to leave. Well so far, anyway. When I arrive at the church, I stop at the sign where there is a small red cross sticking up from the top of the sign, and I pray. I pray for the service to come, for the people attending the service, for the people leading the service, and for the people who won’t be there at the service. I pray that we will be used to honor God.

5. After I arrive at the church building on Sunday morning, I will go into the study and listen to one of these songs. And with decent volume, I might add. “It is You” by Newsboys; “Jesus Messiah” by Chris Tomlin; “Let the Worshippers Arise” by Phillips, Craig, and Dean; or “I See You” by Rich Mullins.

There you have it. Little things I know. And the ramifications of those little things are yet to be determined, but they are something that I believe are important. Perhaps, it is the little things in life that set the stage for the great things that will happen.
So, my advice to you is, “Stay little, stay strong!”

Busy Times Indeed

As we are finishing up our fourth full week of our new ministry and our new half-time here and half-time there schedule, here is a quick run down of how our week fills out. I am not complaining by any means, but I am still trying to adjust to this new busyness and natural time demands that direct us.


Monday
On Monday morning, T. gets up and is off to her part time job at the University. Generally, she is up at 7:00am and I follow shortly thereafter. I try to get he lunch ready and some breakfast before she is out of the house driving to her job by 8:00am. She then works from 8:30am-2:00pm, sometimes its 2:30 or 3:00, and then comes home. My son will wake anywhere between 7:30 to 8:30. I get him up, dressed, fed, and then he will watch “his shows”. They include Sesame Street, Clifford, Word World, and sometimes Super Why. It originally was going to be a “down” day for me to relax and not do a lot, but this week I found myself doing some study and writing. I think I will continue to do that as my mind is still somewhat engaged because of the weekend.

There is also during the day and after T. gets home, some housework that will get done. We will get the kitchen clean, do a bit of laundry and clean the house in anticipation for the evening. Oh yeah, and make some dinner. Monday evening is our Small Group Bible Study at our house from 6:30-7:45pm. Seven to nine of us adults meet and joining us, throughout the house, are eight to twelve children (ages range from one to twelve years old). Needless to say, it is loud and a lot of motion. But all of the parents there are used to the noise and we all seem to take turns making sure nobody is hurt and not too much destruction occurs. It is an enjoyable time and the people are fun and wonderful.

Tuesday
The morning is about the same as Mondays. I will usually make a call to the church on the coast (which I forgot today) for a catch-up and to see if there is anything pressing. I will spend most of the day studying and preparing for the messages I will preach on Sunday. I basically need to work up three (one for a Friday Bible study, an AM sermon and a PM sermon) messages for the weekend. We get more laundry done (usually for the coast trip) and do whatever grocery shopping for both places. Tuesday is our only free night here in town, so there is a lot to do. We get dinner taken care of and watch one of our favorite dramas on TV.

Wednesday
This becomes the final prep time for the coast, laundry, study, shopping, cleaning, writing, hopefully to take some pictures and house stuff. After T. gets home, we make dinner, as she gets ready to go to our home church to lead the middle and high school youth group. She leaves about 5:00 and picks up a bunch of them and then by the time the group time is over and rides are given she gets home about 9:00pm.

Thursday
Now we are at final prep time. We make sure we have whatever clothes we need to take over to the coast house. We do have clothes already over there but these are the ones that we came home wearing on Sunday or new ones to swap out. We pack up the cooler for some food transfer and load the car with computer, camera, Bible, notes, etc. I make sure the garbage is out for the next day and clean the house so we don’t have to do it when we get back home. T. gets off work and we usually leave for the coast twenty minutes later. The drive over takes about three hours. That will include a stop for a quick bite to eat. And then we arrive at our coast cottage rental, unpack and try to relax for the evening watching a few comedies.

Friday
I will get up and head over to the church building to do a little cleaning and getting ready for my extended weekend ministry. There is usually a quick meeting with leaders of different church ministries before our 11:30-1:00 Prayer and Bible Study time. After it is over T. and our son to head back to the cottage while I go and make some home visits. After the home visit schedule time, I try to make some casual visits to people in the community to get to know them. So, I go to their shops and just chat or I talk to people as I pass by on the street. Then it is back home for dinner and catch-up on friends online chats and such.

Saturday
Up in the morning and over to the church for some office appointments and then whatever home visits that are scheduled. We’ve been doing a little rearranging of classrooms and just over all tidying up. I try to look at some files to get to know the church and people and history a little better. I also walk the sanctuary and ponder and say a little prayer for the people who will be sitting in the pews, yes pews, then next day. After that, I’ll go back to the cottage and have some dinner. We usually give little I. a bath, and get him off to bed. T. and I will stay up a bit and get ready for the day tomorrow. She is playing the piano and planning some of the worship services and I am doing last minute changes to the message. Then off to bed we will go. Oh yeah, usually Saturday morning is pancake morning. Yay!

Sunday
All of us are up and dressed and fed to head to church. The weather has been relatively dry in the morning up to this point, so I will grab my notes and walk over to the church. It is only about six short blocks and gives me some time to observe and maybe say hi to someone else who is out walking. Once I get to the church property, I am making a point to stop at the cross on the sign at the corner of the church property. I pause to thank God for the day and pray that He will use me and I would be faithful to Him and to the congregation. Once all of the deacons, yes deacons, are there we have a time of prayer for the service and the people and then off we go to Sunday school. I try to “pop” into all of the various classes; in this case there are three (children’s, youth, and adult) and then settle on one to study with. I. goes to his primary class, ages 3 to 7ish, and T. goes and sits in with the youth (middle and high school) class. I will generally end up with the adults.

Then we have the service. We have made a bit of change to the order, but for the most part, it is a traditional type of service. After the singing, the responsive reading, the offering, the special music, it is my turn to preach. I still don’t know how long their normal service times were, but these have been lasting about an hour and fifteen minutes. There is an invitational hymn and the first Sunday of the month we have communion. And there is a business meeting on the second Sunday of every month.

After that, we go back to the cottage and have lunch and whereI like to watch the Seahawks win. Yes, I’m a dreamer. We also are doing laundry there, cleaning the kitchen, sweeping and vacuuming the cottage and packing up the things we will be taking back with us. At 5:00-6:00pm we go over to the church for the evening service. After it is over, as close to 6:05 as we can, T., I., and myself hop into the car and start our three-hourish trip back to the valley. Our goal is to be home by 9:00pm so we can get the boy to bed and take a breath or two before we slumber off to sleep, ready for the next morning with T. off to work, I. with his day and me doing what I do. And then our week starts all over again.

We are still in the “getting accustomed to” this schedule and with each week that passes, I am feeling more comfortable. I recognize that we are probably no any busier than the next family, but it still seems, at times, rushed. So I am not complaining or desiring sympathy. I just wanted you to know.

So, with that I will close so I can get ready to “mount up with wings like eagles”. Gotta fly.

The New LIfe

I am sitting in out little coastal apartment on a Saturday evening.  I thought that I would keep you updated with what has been happening.  We are three weeks in (or more accurately three weekends in) with our new ministry pastoring the small church on the coast.

It has been amazing not only how things have come together to make this happen, but how blessed we have been up to this point.  On many levels.  This is our first week in our little cottage. 

As this is a bi-vocational position (bi-vocational meaning part time), we needed a place to stay while we were here for the three days.  I had arranged to say in a motel with one bedroom in town.  It wasn’t the most ideal situation, but we determined that it would be doable, but a bit costly. 

As soon as we agreed to the position, we received an e-mail from a member of the church there offering us their vacation rental cottage for the eight months of our interim service.  They said hat they would take it off the rental market and we could have it seven days a week, so it could be ours.  They offered it to us at a reasonable rate, which was the same price that we originally had hoped to find so our financial situation could be eased a bit.

The place is wonderful.  It is a little two-bedroom cottage, panted blue with white trim.  The inside has soft yellow painted walls with a beach house décor.  The view from our windows include the mountains, a sandy beach inlet, a market, the post office, the back of a fish café, and their crab cages.  It is wonderful.

The church we are serving has a small building and averages about 40-45 people on a Sunday morning.  Last week’s attendance was 53.  The style of the worship service is traditional with a country feel.  Now, this is certainly not the style that I prefer, and hopefully some “adjustments” can be made, but I am focusing primarily upon teaching and building relationships.  Most of the people attending are retired with the exception of maybe four families, including us, who are younger.  And by younger, I mean not retired.

I will say that, even though I have only been there a short time, these people really like one another and are doing he best that they can to be the light to their community.  In some cases, they may not know how to reach and relate to the other town members, but they truly seem genuine.  I realize that with time ones true nature is always revealed, but for the present, they seem to enjoy each other company.  Their midday Bible study, which they just moved to Fridays to accommodate my schedule, begins with people sharing any prayer requests or things for which they are thankful.  After about fifteen minutes of sharing, they then begin to pray.  And they pray for each request, and for the praises, and for each person that was on the list.  They pray by name and with detail.  They even pray for any visitors that were there the previous Sunday.  Most visitors that attend the worship service are usually vacationing in the area or are passing through on their vacation.  But they pray for them anyway, knowing that we may never see them again.

The prayer time take twenty minutes or so, and then with whatever time is left over, we have a Bible study.  It is apparent that church believer, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that God not only hears their petitions, He also acts upon them.  It was an honor to share in that time.

As with a coastal town, this town and church gets their share of vagabonds and transients passing through needing assistance for some need..  The church members told me it is only periodically that we come in contact with the needy, but I have been in the area for five weekends total, counting the two times I was there before I was officially called, and have been involved with three different scenarios.  One person they fed and a member gave them a ride to the next town 25 miles away.  One couple was given food and some money to put gas in their car.  The most recent couple were give a motel room for the night, and the guys socks were all wet, so a member went home and grabbed a pair of his own to give the man.  All of this generosity knowing they will probably never see them again.

All in all, it is good that we are here.  Good for them and good for us. 

More to tell. But for now, some pictures of our new second hometown.

Ch- ch- ch- changes

As I have mentioned previously, there was change coming. Well, it is now here. At least the start of it, anyway. After quitting my job fifteen months ago, I had set out to attempt to accomplish four things. (To not work in off price retail for a while, to spend more time with my wife and son, to hopefully try to work for myself somehow, and to really place trust in God to provide for our needs.)

I had originally thought that we could last a year at our current status. God, during that time, provided us with some unexpected blessings, and it looked like, perhaps we could go another year. But, through all of this time, there were things happening and decisions to be made. As a person trusts in God to provide, that person still has to be aware of opportunities that may come up.

I have, for some time, felt the need or desire to be able to share the things that were happening in my journey of faith, and sometimes faithlessness. That is one of the reasons that I started writing this blog. I also have felt the need to share God’s message of His Son and salvation and hope through trusting in Him. So, I let a couple of churches know that I was available to pastor again, if that was something that would be of use to them. I really didn’t think that anything would come of that, but for several reasons, I felt I was doing that out of obedience.

With all of that being said, for at least the next eight months, I will be the pastor of a church in a small coastal town. My family and I will travel there for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday to minister and serve the church, and then come home so T. can still work at the University. It will be a busy time and am not sure the ultimate outcome will be, but we both thought strongly that we still needed our home base to be where we are currently. We have many friends here and those connections run deep, and will need their prayers and support as we venture out to serve.

Several things happened that truly confirmed to us that, at this time, this was what we needed to do. And, as always, God provided opportunity, a working schedule, support, and a place to stay that was far beyond what we could have imagined.
Just wanted you all to know before we hit the road.


Sincerely,
Your itinerant friend

Impending Change part two

I have been in the midst of this impending change scenario for a while. Nothing is conclusive at this time, but there seems to be movement in a couple areas of our lives. We will still have to wait and see how it all plays out. There will certainly decisions to be made. Which sounds ominous, I know, but that is just the reality of things at the present time.


I find it odd when I, or any one else for that matter, say they have a decision to make. Like, all of a sudden I am face to face with a choice and I will need to ponder through things until I come up with the decision. I mean, like decisions periodically and randomly just come into our lives. Truth is, that is all we do. Make decisions. Our life consists of constant decision-making.

Now, I do recognize that all decisions aren’t in the same category of importance, urgency, or of life altering changes, but they all, no matter how small or insignificant seeming at the time, do affect us and place direction upon our lives. What a person decides to eat, in the short run matters not, but in the long run, an unhealthy diet can cause issues later on with bigger and important decisions needing to be made, perhaps, in order to save a life.

But, the reality is that every thing we do is based upon a choice with a decision to make that choice. Or to make the other choice, if we so decide. We decide to get out of bed or to not. We decide to wear a dress shirt or a T-shirt. We decide to eat bacon and eggs or oatmeal. We decide when we need to put gas in our car, or not. We decide to go to work, or not.

Every second of every day is making a decision with the choice laid out before us. And each decision leads us to another decision, which in turn, leads to another decision. And so on, and so on. All this to simply say, I have a decision. Hope I make a good one.

Impending Change

Periodically, I have these moments where I sense that something is going to happen. I don’t mean a doom and gloom prophecy, or a world changing prediction. I just mean, that in my life, there are certain times in which I become increasingly aware that things are going to move in a different direction or path than life, especially my life, is now heading.


And, like I have just mentioned, this is one of those times. In the next couple of weeks, there will have to be some decisions made and choices picked. More on the specifics later but suffice it to say, it will affect us.

For as long as I can remember, my life has been like that. First, there seems to be a feeling in me that something is shifting in my world. Though I cannot, at that particular moment, put my finger on it, or conclusively say what the outcome will be, I do know that it has started. And then I begin to pay attention. And I, even at times, make some little decisions to, well, try to determine the direction the big change seems to be on.

My wife was talking to her boss about the events I am speaking of, and his comment was that I “seemed to have been on a journey to figure himself out lately “. She agreed and said that seemed like “such a perspective probably could cover his whole life… that he’s always been pondering one season to the next.” And, so it stands to reason that I am just keenly aware of the process and details of the journey itself. I just don’t realize it, because my brain doesn’t work like that. I don’t seem to be able to separate and diagnose things like that.

Turns out that I don’t recognize my modus operandi as a human. At least until someone tells me the way I function. For instance, someone once told me that I would enjoy a certain musical artist because the artist, like me, was a dreamer. Me, a dreamer? I hadn’t really thought about it. I thought everybody reflects upon the what-ifs and the possibilities. I thought everybody ponders and wonders, hopes and imagines. That does explain my décor sign that simply has the word “IMAGINE” upon it. Yeah, I guess I am a dreamer.

More than one person has told me that I was abstract. I don’t know what that means. Okay, I know what abstract mean. I just don’t know that they mean when they say I think and speak abstractly. They tell me that I don’t understand because I don’t just think or speak in an abstract manner, but because my entire being “is” abstract. Now what am I going to do with that information? I just take everybody’s comments and observations and placed them in a new manila folder and put them in my backpack and head down the path of life and see where this journey is leading me and what type of terrain I am to traverse. Ooooooh! I get it now, I think. Yeah, I guess I am abstract.

Back to my main point. There is definitely going to be change. Just don’t know what it is yet. And here is where faith and trust comes in to play. When changes happen in life, do we, as people of God, claim the assurance that He is in control and is carrying out His will for our lives? And do we, as people of God, make choices and decisions, based upon our relationship with Him? Yes, and our choices and decisions need to be weighed using those factors, i.e. (He being in control and our relationship with Him).

Therein is the struggle of faith and trust. And perhaps that is the expedition that we are ultimately on. The walk “through” faith. Can’t wait to see what is on the other side.

Mixed Emotions

I know that a lot of people commented and wrote about things concerning September 11th. And rightly so. This past Sunday marked the ten-year anniversary of that horrible day.


Yes, I remember where I was when it happened. Yes, I even watched the events live as it was being aired on television. Yes, I will never forget. It was a terrible. That day, September 11th, will no doubt always be remembered as a day of sorrow, grief, shock, fear, and anger.

There are three people in my life that have, alongside of those memories of the day, different memories. My sister’s birthday is September 11th. My wife has an aunt whose birthday is also on September 11th. And two of our friends have their wedding anniversary on that day. And all of those events should be observed with joy and laughter. But I am sure that for each of them, and all others who have that date as one of significance, the joy seems to be a bit diluted as they also remember.

The Bible says that we are to “weep with those who weep”. And we certainly do. One can’t help but be moved, join in with the sorrow, and yes, even cry about those events from ten years ago. I am saddened by the lives lost, by the grief of the living family members, and the nightmares of the survivors. My pray is that they all come to know Jesus as their Savior. Though it still might not make sense to them, I know a relationship with Jesus will bring about peace. Might take awhile, but it will happen. In John 16:33, Jesus said, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

The Bible also says that we are to “rejoice with those who rejoice”. And we certainly did. We went to the open house to honor the 40th wedding anniversary of good friends. They had pictures from various times of their lives along with wedding pictures. The bride’s gown was sitting out with her wedding Bible next to it. And there was their wedding book with the registry of gifts given and events. And most of all, there were friends. There were young and old friends. There were friends of forty plus years and there were friends of just a couple of years. But we were all there to do one thing. To remember. And in that remembrance, we rejoiced. We laughed, we hugged, and we expressed love.

It was not that we had forgotten the tragedy from ten years ago. No, I am sure that it, and how that day has changed so many things in our lives, was still ever present in our psyche. But it was not, will not, and cannot consume us to the point where we forget whose we are. Because we who are called to “rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep” know deep within us that there is something greater that is here. (Matthew 12:6; Matthew 12:41; Matthew 12:42)
And there we stand.