Every year our church spends a weekend camping at our Bible camp at Kenosee Lake. We stay up too late, eat too much food, hear some good lessons and generally just have fun together. This year, the weekend ended with a “Water gun fight”.
Several of boys were running around the camp spraying people, so one of the dads called a few of the younger girls over and said, “In the back of my truck I have a couple of really big water guns. Go fill them up, but don’t tell the boys. When they come running by, jump out and let them have it.” The girls thought this was a great idea, so they grabbed the guns and ran off.
Soon, the boys went into one of the buildings to refill. The girls hid by the door, water guns loaded and ready. When they boys came out, the girls jumped out of their hiding spot and, as you can imagine, the fight was on. There were kids running everywhere.
In the middle of all this, though, a girl named Tayler stopped and asked one of the smaller boys, “Do you mind if your clothes get wet? I mean, is it ok for us to shoot you?”
Tayler’s example is a simple, but very powerful, life lesson. Just because you have the ability or the right to shoot someone, that does not mean that you have to shoot them. Just because someone else is spraying you, that does not mean that you have to “get them back”. Maybe it is worth thinking about someone else for a second instead of just defending yourself with all your might.
Being nice and sweet and kind is not a good strategy in a water fight (Tayler and the rest of the girls were soaked, while the boys hardly had a drop on them), but it is a great example of how to live and how to treat others.
In this case, wouldn’t it be nice if everyone “fought like a girl”?
“Be excellent in what is good!” (Romans 16:19)
Monday, July 13, 2009
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Just when I thought I had Something figured Out
The annual “Estevan Rodeo Parade” goes down 13th avenue, right past our church building and this makes it a popular place to gather. People come and sit on the lawn, or in the shade of the building. It is really nice.
What makes the day even nicer is that, every year, one of our church members, a man named Richard, always gives my girls some money and sends them to Dairy Queen for ice cream. This year our girls said, “You know what? We think that it is our turn to buy ice cream for Richard”.
That made me happy. I mean, here are my kids thinking about other people, remembering the kindness of someone else and wanting to pay it back (even if it was with my money). They wanted to be generous, so Sara gave them some money and they ran off to Dairy Queen to buy dilly bars for Richard.
When they came back, we told the girls to go down the line of people and hand out the ice cream.
Now, what I meant was, “Hand it out to our friends”.
However, my youngest daughter did not get that message.
Instead, she just kept going and asking everyone, “Would you like some ice cream?”
My first reaction was to yell to her, “Stop! You are going too far. We don’t know those people!”
Then I realize something: These people were really happy that someone was offering them free ice cream. Megan was meeting a whole new bunch of people and they were being very kind and gracious to her.
Now here is the thing: I thought I was being generous, but I wasn’t. In fact, all I was really doing was paying Richard back for all the years that he was generous to us. By only sharing with the people that I knew, I had sort of missed the point.
In a section that talks about how we treat people, Jesus asks, “If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?” (Matthew 5:46-47) In other words, if you are only “evening up” with people, you really are not being generous. If you only do things for others in hopes that they will return the favor, you really have not done anything special.
The point: I hope the parade route continues to go past the church building and I hope that people continue to feel free to come, sit there and watch it with
us.
With what my daughter taught me about generosity this year, who knows? You may even get some free ice cream.
What makes the day even nicer is that, every year, one of our church members, a man named Richard, always gives my girls some money and sends them to Dairy Queen for ice cream. This year our girls said, “You know what? We think that it is our turn to buy ice cream for Richard”.
That made me happy. I mean, here are my kids thinking about other people, remembering the kindness of someone else and wanting to pay it back (even if it was with my money). They wanted to be generous, so Sara gave them some money and they ran off to Dairy Queen to buy dilly bars for Richard.
When they came back, we told the girls to go down the line of people and hand out the ice cream.
Now, what I meant was, “Hand it out to our friends”.
However, my youngest daughter did not get that message.
Instead, she just kept going and asking everyone, “Would you like some ice cream?”
My first reaction was to yell to her, “Stop! You are going too far. We don’t know those people!”
Then I realize something: These people were really happy that someone was offering them free ice cream. Megan was meeting a whole new bunch of people and they were being very kind and gracious to her.
Now here is the thing: I thought I was being generous, but I wasn’t. In fact, all I was really doing was paying Richard back for all the years that he was generous to us. By only sharing with the people that I knew, I had sort of missed the point.
In a section that talks about how we treat people, Jesus asks, “If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?” (Matthew 5:46-47) In other words, if you are only “evening up” with people, you really are not being generous. If you only do things for others in hopes that they will return the favor, you really have not done anything special.
The point: I hope the parade route continues to go past the church building and I hope that people continue to feel free to come, sit there and watch it with
us.
With what my daughter taught me about generosity this year, who knows? You may even get some free ice cream.
Monday, June 22, 2009
Filled to the Top
This past Saturday, a buddy of mine and I went on a motorcycle ride to New Town, North Dakota, over to Williston and back home again. In all, we put over 500 kilometers on our bikes.
Since running out of fuel in the middle of nowhere would not be any fun and because we were not quite sure how far it was between gas stations, we filled up every chance we got. As well, because my motorcycle is older and has a fairly small tank, I not only filled up, but I literally filled it to the top every single time. When I was done, you could not have squeezed in one more drop. I wanted all the fuel I could get because it was important to have enough.
Sunday morning after we got back, I was teaching from Ephesians chapter three. In that passage, Paul prays that his readers may be “filled to the measure of all the fullness of God” (verse 19). In light of my previous day’s experience, that verse meant a lot.
I wonder how many times we try to live our lives on “half a tank”. Instead of being filled right to the top with God and his goodness, we somehow think that we can get by with just “a little bit” of God. It is no wonder that some of us “run out of gas” spiritually before we reach the end.
One of the people in the class then pointed out that the little tank on my motorcycle could never hold all the gas that was in the underground tank at the gas station. In other words, the supply of fuel by far outweighed my bike’s capacity to receive it.
That is also true in spiritual things. The limitation on our spiritual blessings comes not from God’s side, but from ours. It is our capacity and our willingness to accept God’s blessings that determines how much we actually receive. From God’s side, the supply is endless.
In fact, the next verse closes the prayer with these words: “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen (verses 20-21).
God’s power is unlimited. He can do “immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine”.
So, what would be different if your Spiritual tank was full? What would happen if you let God in and allowed him to work?
There is only one way to find out.
Since running out of fuel in the middle of nowhere would not be any fun and because we were not quite sure how far it was between gas stations, we filled up every chance we got. As well, because my motorcycle is older and has a fairly small tank, I not only filled up, but I literally filled it to the top every single time. When I was done, you could not have squeezed in one more drop. I wanted all the fuel I could get because it was important to have enough.
Sunday morning after we got back, I was teaching from Ephesians chapter three. In that passage, Paul prays that his readers may be “filled to the measure of all the fullness of God” (verse 19). In light of my previous day’s experience, that verse meant a lot.
I wonder how many times we try to live our lives on “half a tank”. Instead of being filled right to the top with God and his goodness, we somehow think that we can get by with just “a little bit” of God. It is no wonder that some of us “run out of gas” spiritually before we reach the end.
One of the people in the class then pointed out that the little tank on my motorcycle could never hold all the gas that was in the underground tank at the gas station. In other words, the supply of fuel by far outweighed my bike’s capacity to receive it.
That is also true in spiritual things. The limitation on our spiritual blessings comes not from God’s side, but from ours. It is our capacity and our willingness to accept God’s blessings that determines how much we actually receive. From God’s side, the supply is endless.
In fact, the next verse closes the prayer with these words: “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen (verses 20-21).
God’s power is unlimited. He can do “immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine”.
So, what would be different if your Spiritual tank was full? What would happen if you let God in and allowed him to work?
There is only one way to find out.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Relay Reflections
I only agreed to do it because I was asked, but I would do it again in a heartbeat. Estevan’s version of the Canadian Cancer Society’s “Relay for Life” was a hoot! Seriously, it was a ton of fun! Good visits, lots of food, staying up all night, good weather, entertainment (the “Mr. Relay” portion was a little disturbing to watch – but terribly funny at 2:30 in the morning) and lots of people made it a great event. It was more than just fun, though. It was inspiring!
In a time when people say, “No one cares about anyone but themselves anymore” here were several hundred people giving their time to help others.
In a time when people say, “Teenagers are lazy and don’t know how to work anymore” a pile of kids proved them wrong. When I arrived, there were teenagers everywhere! They were hanging signs, giving people rides, putting out chairs and generally doing what needed to be done.
In a time when people think, “We have lost our sense of community” I saw people who were doing something positive for one another.
The two best attitudes that I saw that night, however, were “hope” and “encouragement”. Maybe not surprisingly, those are two very Godly words.
Romans 15:13 says “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit”. Hope should be one of the key identifiers of God’s people. There is no place in the kingdom of “the God of Hope” for those who see nothing but “gloom and doom”. That is not who we are and that is not how we are supposed to live! We are to “overflow with hope” because God is at work in us, through us and around us.
That hope then leads us to encourage others. While describing how the early church shared with one another, Luke highlights the actions of one man: “Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means ‘Son of Encouragement’), sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles feet” (Acts 4:36-37). “Barnabas” is his nickname! It is a description of who he was and what he did. He was a “Son of Encouragement”! Wow! Wouldn’t it be great if someone could say of us, “Every time I am with [fill in your name] I come away feeling better and encouraged”. Many of our encounters seem to have the opposite effect, but Barnabas was notable because he lifted other people’s spirits.
I was thrilled to see “Hope” and “Encouragement” on display at the “Relay for Life”. It was an inspiring night, but it does not have to end there.
If we walk with God, we can live with “Hope” and “Encouragement” each day [and even into eternity], because those two words are God’s words.
In a time when people say, “No one cares about anyone but themselves anymore” here were several hundred people giving their time to help others.
In a time when people say, “Teenagers are lazy and don’t know how to work anymore” a pile of kids proved them wrong. When I arrived, there were teenagers everywhere! They were hanging signs, giving people rides, putting out chairs and generally doing what needed to be done.
In a time when people think, “We have lost our sense of community” I saw people who were doing something positive for one another.
The two best attitudes that I saw that night, however, were “hope” and “encouragement”. Maybe not surprisingly, those are two very Godly words.
Romans 15:13 says “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit”. Hope should be one of the key identifiers of God’s people. There is no place in the kingdom of “the God of Hope” for those who see nothing but “gloom and doom”. That is not who we are and that is not how we are supposed to live! We are to “overflow with hope” because God is at work in us, through us and around us.
That hope then leads us to encourage others. While describing how the early church shared with one another, Luke highlights the actions of one man: “Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means ‘Son of Encouragement’), sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles feet” (Acts 4:36-37). “Barnabas” is his nickname! It is a description of who he was and what he did. He was a “Son of Encouragement”! Wow! Wouldn’t it be great if someone could say of us, “Every time I am with [fill in your name] I come away feeling better and encouraged”. Many of our encounters seem to have the opposite effect, but Barnabas was notable because he lifted other people’s spirits.
I was thrilled to see “Hope” and “Encouragement” on display at the “Relay for Life”. It was an inspiring night, but it does not have to end there.
If we walk with God, we can live with “Hope” and “Encouragement” each day [and even into eternity], because those two words are God’s words.
Monday, June 8, 2009
Building for the Future
"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:19-21).
A very rich woman died and went to Heaven. Outside the Pearly Gates, she met St. Peter.
“Welcome!” Peter said, “Come in and I will show you your new home”.
The woman followed Peter and soon came to a beautiful mansion. “This must
be my new home”, she said. “It looks very much like my home on earth”.
Peter, however, said, “No! That is not your home”.
They continued to walk and came to another very impressive mansion. The woman thought, “Well, this must be my new home”, but Peter walked past this house as well.
Soon, they left that neighbourhood and moved into one filled with more modest dwellings. “I guess I could be happy here”, she thought, but Peter kept walking.
After a while, Peter stopped in front of a very small, one room hut. “Here is your new home”, he said.
The woman was flabbergasted and furious. “What! How can this little shack be my home for all eternity?” she sputtered.
“Well”, Peter replied, “We built what we could with the material that you sent up”.
Usually, I do not like stories like that one. I prefer illustrations that are based in real life rather than made up ones, but I like that story. Oh, I know that we likely will not live in “mansions” in heaven. I doubt that heaven really has “Pearly Gates” or that “Saint Peter” will meet you there. Most of those details are just similes or metaphors – comparisons to help us to understand something that we have never seen. I do, however, like the point that the story makes and some of the questions that it raises.
“What are you spending your life on?”
“What are you building?”
“Where is your heart?”
“When you get to the end of this life, will you be happy with the result?”
“What are you sending ahead?”
Last week, I did a memorial service for a man that I did not know. When I asked the family to tell me about their Dad, they immediately began to talk about relationships, character traits and love. No one mentioned the car he drove, how much money he had in the bank or his yearly income. When they thought about their Dad, they thought about the important things.
Please make your funeral easy for your preacher.
Store up a treasure that means something both now and in eternity.
A very rich woman died and went to Heaven. Outside the Pearly Gates, she met St. Peter.
“Welcome!” Peter said, “Come in and I will show you your new home”.
The woman followed Peter and soon came to a beautiful mansion. “This must
be my new home”, she said. “It looks very much like my home on earth”.
Peter, however, said, “No! That is not your home”.
They continued to walk and came to another very impressive mansion. The woman thought, “Well, this must be my new home”, but Peter walked past this house as well.
Soon, they left that neighbourhood and moved into one filled with more modest dwellings. “I guess I could be happy here”, she thought, but Peter kept walking.
After a while, Peter stopped in front of a very small, one room hut. “Here is your new home”, he said.
The woman was flabbergasted and furious. “What! How can this little shack be my home for all eternity?” she sputtered.
“Well”, Peter replied, “We built what we could with the material that you sent up”.
Usually, I do not like stories like that one. I prefer illustrations that are based in real life rather than made up ones, but I like that story. Oh, I know that we likely will not live in “mansions” in heaven. I doubt that heaven really has “Pearly Gates” or that “Saint Peter” will meet you there. Most of those details are just similes or metaphors – comparisons to help us to understand something that we have never seen. I do, however, like the point that the story makes and some of the questions that it raises.
“What are you spending your life on?”
“What are you building?”
“Where is your heart?”
“When you get to the end of this life, will you be happy with the result?”
“What are you sending ahead?”
Last week, I did a memorial service for a man that I did not know. When I asked the family to tell me about their Dad, they immediately began to talk about relationships, character traits and love. No one mentioned the car he drove, how much money he had in the bank or his yearly income. When they thought about their Dad, they thought about the important things.
Please make your funeral easy for your preacher.
Store up a treasure that means something both now and in eternity.
Monday, June 1, 2009
Unexpected Joy
Susan Boyle’s appearance on the TV show “Britain’s got Talent” has made her an overnight success. In fact, her performance is one of the most watched videos on “YouTube”. (If you have not seen it, please look it up).
When Boyle walks on the stage and introduces herself, Simon Cowell (of “American Idol” fame) gives her a look that indicates that he does not expect much from her. She is not dressed for the part. She makes silly jokes and acts as if she is very nervous. The crowd laughs at her. One girl rolls her eyes. Then Susan starts to sing.
The best part of the video is the look on Simon’s face after he hears the first three notes. He literally lights up with surprise and joy. As Susan continues to sing, the crowd begins to cheer and gives her a standing ovation. One of the hosts of the show turns to the camera and shouts, “You didn’t expect that, did you? Did you? No!” At the end of her performance, the crowd erupts. It is absolutely amazing!
After seeing that video several times, I still get chills when she starts to sing. The surprise of that moment is simply incredible. No one expected that lady to do what she did. The “unexpected” is an amazing thing.
I often say that I wish we could be brainwashed to forget everything we know about Jesus and the Bible, because I think that we would be similarly shocked and amazed by the unexpected message that we heard. Look at a few examples.
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).
“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. 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. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am” (John 14:1-3)
“You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ” (Galatians 3:26-27).
Those passages (and many more) would blow us away if we heard them for the first time. They would bring smiles to our faces and hope to our hearts.
Do not let your familiarity with those words steal the “Joy” and “Surprise” from them!
God, through his Son and his Spirit, has done, and continues to do, the most unexpected of things. He has paid the price and he is calling us home!
That should make us want to cheer!
When Boyle walks on the stage and introduces herself, Simon Cowell (of “American Idol” fame) gives her a look that indicates that he does not expect much from her. She is not dressed for the part. She makes silly jokes and acts as if she is very nervous. The crowd laughs at her. One girl rolls her eyes. Then Susan starts to sing.
The best part of the video is the look on Simon’s face after he hears the first three notes. He literally lights up with surprise and joy. As Susan continues to sing, the crowd begins to cheer and gives her a standing ovation. One of the hosts of the show turns to the camera and shouts, “You didn’t expect that, did you? Did you? No!” At the end of her performance, the crowd erupts. It is absolutely amazing!
After seeing that video several times, I still get chills when she starts to sing. The surprise of that moment is simply incredible. No one expected that lady to do what she did. The “unexpected” is an amazing thing.
I often say that I wish we could be brainwashed to forget everything we know about Jesus and the Bible, because I think that we would be similarly shocked and amazed by the unexpected message that we heard. Look at a few examples.
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).
“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. 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. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am” (John 14:1-3)
“You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ” (Galatians 3:26-27).
Those passages (and many more) would blow us away if we heard them for the first time. They would bring smiles to our faces and hope to our hearts.
Do not let your familiarity with those words steal the “Joy” and “Surprise” from them!
God, through his Son and his Spirit, has done, and continues to do, the most unexpected of things. He has paid the price and he is calling us home!
That should make us want to cheer!
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
I am half dead!
So, I turned 40 this past weekend!
When I moved to Estevan 19 years ago, I remember looking at the guys who had a career, two or three kids and a minivan and thinking, “Wow, those guys are old!” Thinking about it now, they must have been in their early thirties at the time! They were just young pups really.
Generally speaking, Sara and I do not make a big deal about birthdays. It seems a little odd to celebrate the fact that you were born on a certain day, doesn’t it? I mean, it is not like you had a choice in the matter. Nor is it really very special or unique (Everyone on the planet was born, so what is to celebrate?). We have parties for our kids, but she and I generally just get cards and a few small gifts. I figure that birthdays are not a big deal after the age of twenty or so.
However, I did think a little more about this one and the big thought that went through my mind was, “If I live to be eighty, then I am already half dead!” I know that is not the happiest thought in the whole world, but it is true.
Over the years, I have seen people (whether they are 40, 54 or 74) begin to “act old” and as if life had already passed them by. In the end, they were old, not because of their age, but because of their mindset.
As I was thinking all this through, Psalm 118:24 came to mind. It says, “This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” That is the key to enjoying life no matter whether you are 24, 44 or a 104, right?
We do not have to live as if we are “half dead”. At any age and at any time, we can choose to look for and concentrate on the good things that are happening right now, so that is what I am going to do.
I am also going to go for a nap (not because I am old, just because it sounds good).
When I moved to Estevan 19 years ago, I remember looking at the guys who had a career, two or three kids and a minivan and thinking, “Wow, those guys are old!” Thinking about it now, they must have been in their early thirties at the time! They were just young pups really.
Generally speaking, Sara and I do not make a big deal about birthdays. It seems a little odd to celebrate the fact that you were born on a certain day, doesn’t it? I mean, it is not like you had a choice in the matter. Nor is it really very special or unique (Everyone on the planet was born, so what is to celebrate?). We have parties for our kids, but she and I generally just get cards and a few small gifts. I figure that birthdays are not a big deal after the age of twenty or so.
However, I did think a little more about this one and the big thought that went through my mind was, “If I live to be eighty, then I am already half dead!” I know that is not the happiest thought in the whole world, but it is true.
Over the years, I have seen people (whether they are 40, 54 or 74) begin to “act old” and as if life had already passed them by. In the end, they were old, not because of their age, but because of their mindset.
As I was thinking all this through, Psalm 118:24 came to mind. It says, “This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” That is the key to enjoying life no matter whether you are 24, 44 or a 104, right?
We do not have to live as if we are “half dead”. At any age and at any time, we can choose to look for and concentrate on the good things that are happening right now, so that is what I am going to do.
I am also going to go for a nap (not because I am old, just because it sounds good).
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