As the Deer Pants for the Water

I'll be taking some time away this week to look for the illusive Buck. It may be panting for water, but I am just looking to put some meat in the freezer. I have been hunting since my time in Titusville, and continue to enjoy it. But there is one thing that I have not yet done and that is bagged the big one! Because I have a doe tag, I intend to fill it. But because of the antler restrictions in Pennsylvania - seeing a buck with at least four points on one side is often difficult. I have seen buck - but often they are too small. So this year as in all the others, I hope this is the year.

At the very least, I will be out in the woods enjoying some quiet time and time with friends. If you're out there - be safe and good luck!

Festivus for the Rest of Us!

In honor of Brett and his five week's of Advent, this year College Hill has decided to go with Festivus. We have erected a traditional festivus pole out front. High strength aluminum.

Here is an exerpt from the episode of Seinfeld.

Frank Costanza: Many Christmases ago, I went to buy a doll for my son. I reached for the last one they had, but so did another man. As I rained blows upon him, I realized there had to be another way.
Cosmo Kramer: What happened to the doll?
Frank Costanza: It was destroyed. But out of that a new holiday was born: a Festivus for the rest of us!

On one of the Sundays, I think we will have the traditional "airing of grievances."

Actually though - this is the flag pole that is being erected by one of our young men for his Eagle Scout Project. He should be done soon, but as we were standing around the pole on Sunday as it was going up, someone mentioned Festivus - so I thought it was an apt picture.

Спасибо

Two years ago, I had the opportunity to travel to Moscow, Russia on a mission trip. It was the first time that I had ever been out of the county, as a communicating human. That is a strange way of saying that I had once been to Canada as a toddler. I wouldn’t know it other than the fact that I have seen a picture of me with the caption “Niagara Falls.”

Because it was the first time that I was able to travel out of the county, I was given a lot of advice about traveling and some things that I would need to know in order to make my trip more enjoyable. One piece of advice that I heard often was that you should learn the language at least well enough to communicate some basic words.

In preparation for that trip, I did just that. I purchased a phrase book and began to learn some basic words and phrases. In addition, I also learned the alphabet and pronunciations. Therefore, even though I could not always pronounce words accurately all the time, I was able to grasp the language at a basic level. As we traveled, I was able to pick up on words and phrases other than those I learned from the book. This was especially helpful when we were traveling on the subway – I was able to read the stops and be reasonably confident where we were based upon our maps.

Of the words that I was told I should learn, probably the most important was Spasiba. It is a basic expression of gratitude. I used it often in conversation and you could tell that there was some appreciation on those we encountered a willingness for our learning their language.

I often catch myself today, two years later, using the word around the house and in casual conversation. It kind of sticks with me as a way of expressing thanks. Spasiba is Russian for Thank You.

This week, I am sure that you are doing a lot of thinking of things for which you are giving thanks. But I guess my question is, “Are you actually saying it?” We do lot of preparing, thinking, sitting down, eating, watching football, preparing for shopping the next day – but do we do much giving thanks. Further, do we actually express it verbally?

And I guess that question goes as deep as you want it to go. Have you actually said, “Thank you” to God for those simple things and expressed them in a way that is more just a passing thought? Have you prayed about those expressions of thanksgiving and really said it?

Again, one of the best pieces of advice when I traveled oversees was to learn some basic expressions. I was told that it would make my journey more enjoyable. It would break barriers and express something deep within us. Even if you didn’t know other words – these words would get us past the barrier. So “thank you” was one of those expressions that made the journey more enjoyable. I probably said it more than anything else on that trip – even for the little things.

So I’m going to try to say thank you, spasiba, Dankschen, merci, gracias as often as I can this week. For the food, for you, for the little things, and for the big things, thank you. Thank you for being a part of our lives and Thank God for ways in which he is present in our lives.

The Psalmists talked a lot about thanksgiving. Psalm 100 says: "Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth. Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Know that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations."

Spasiba and Happy Thanksgiving

This week in worship we will be talking about the end of the world. Actually, we will be talking about Christ the King which is a celebration of Christ’s anticipated return in triumph. I pray that you have a great Thanksgiving Weekend and I look forward to seeing you in worship on Sunday. “It’s the end of the world as we know it, and I feel fine.” REM.

Pray for me, and know that I am praying for you.
Greg

A Classic Double Edged Sword

As you can imagine, I have been thinking about technology quite a bit over the past few weeks. Having come face to face with the possible loss of information and frustration of losing a hard drive on a laptop computer, I have thought a lot about how I use technology. At the same time, however, I have been thinking a lot about how technology uses me.

Having just turned 37 years old, I feel as if I am not that out of date. I use technology to a point that is somewhat cutting edge. I frequent the Internet, I have a cell phone, I use a palm pilot for my calendar and phone book, and I can often figure things out without using directions (much to the chagrin of my wife.)

Yet that double edge sword reaches into my 37 years, and I realize that there is so much more that has passed me by and I am actually out of touch. Last night I sat and watched my nephew type “text messages” with feverish pitch. It would have taken me 10 minutes to type what took him 10 seconds.

Technology is for me a classic double edged sword. It is both a blessing and a bane, it is both useful and useless, it is awesome and at the same time disgusting.

I love email. I can type emails off to people instantly and know that they will receive it. But if I tried to call them, I may have to leave a message or not get through at all. I love my computer. I can look up a passage in the bible with a keyword, rather than thumbing through a concordance or relying on memory. I can type a letter much cleaner and neater than I would by handwriting a note, and I can have it done much quicker too.

I am itching to move into new areas of technology too. It’s not limited to my computer, cell phone, and my palm pilot. They say that an MP3 player could hold your entire collection of CD’s that linger on your shelves. For some that may be your collection of Moody Blues, or Third Day, Rush, or dare I say Herb Albert and the Tijuana Brass.

Yet the very thing that connects and frees us, actually disconnects and burdens us. Substitute the word us for me, me for you, you for whomever you choose. While the technology has allowed us more time, it takes us away from the things that really matter the most.

When my computer was down, I actually had to pick up the phone. When my computer was down, I actually had to write some notes. When I forget my cell phone, I actually have to sit and pray.

Yet I also realize that if I didn’t have technology, I wouldn’t be able to connect like this with you. We are affected by this thing called technology in different ways, but I hope that in the end, we can always be mindful of what our purpose is, and how we use it for benefiting our relationships, rather than substituting them.

It’s amazing to me to think that a type-set copy of the Bible was technology a long time ago. It was the way that God was able to get his message into our hands, to connect with us, and to make himself known. Before that – people had to rely on something different.

So I guess there are benefits to the newest, the latest and greatest. I would however, hope that that will not supplant your personal relationship with God. There is nothing that will substitute for the personal relationship that comes with communicating with God. On those same lines, there is nothing that can really substitute for person to person relationships.

I invite you to come and have contact with a human being this week in worship. We’ll be using some technology from various periods in our history, but it won’t substitute for our personal relationships that we have with each other. We’ll have an opportunity to give thanks for so many things as we prepare for our Thanksgiving Holiday. I hope to see you in worship. Until then,

Please pray for me, and know that I am praying for you.
Greg

Just a Little Reminder

Yesterday, the girls were home from school. It was an in-service day and also a day for parent teacher conferences. They have enjoyed being home and having a few days of rest and a few days to stay up late and sleep in too. Last night we even let them stay up later than usual so that they could watch a little of the Steelers game.

Mondays are usually a day for me to make lunches for the kids, but because they were home for the day, I had a reprieve. But what made the day even more special was that they actually made lunch for me! Tracy helped them put together the lunch so that it wasn’t just Kit-Kats and crackers. Just to be sure that I knew it was mine at the office; they even put my name on it!

It was a great lunch – a sandwich, a banana, and some yogurt. Perfect! But what made the lunch even more special were the notes that I found in it. It was a great day – three notes from my girls and a card from Tracy!

Each one was special because it reminded me that I am loved. They each put their special personal touch into the notes, saying something special. Bekah had a chart, Elisabeth shared a scribble, and Sarah even included a scripture verse from Philippians 4:19. “And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.” There was even a little P.S. – eat well.

I know that I am loved and I know that my life is even more rich because of it. I also know that I am loved by God, and because of that love I am able to be who I am and seek the transformation to which God calls me. But isn’t it good to be reminded of that every so often, to read it, and to have it be said?

There are so many people in the world who don’t know that, and I think that is unfortunate. People don’t get notes in their lunches, and people don’t even express it personally. That’s why I think we need the church and I think it is why we need to constantly hear that God loves us. We need to hear, express, and know that God is love.

Maybe you know this, but you are loved. If it’s not by someone very close to you, I do know that you are loved by God. And the scriptures are that reminder for us.

So, today I think I will just send you a note reminding you that you are loved. For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that who ever would believe in him would live for ever.

God loves you. Maybe you knew that. But if you don’t, I’m sending this to you for a little lunch reminder.

This week, we conclude our congregational study, Treasures of a Transformed Life and we will be celebrating Consecration Sunday in Worship. Rev. Fred Leasure from the United Methodist Foundation will be preaching. I look forward to seeing you this week. Remember, whatever you commit to in your prayers, presence, gifts and service, God will supply us with everything that we need through Christ. I think I found that note in my lunch this week and in scriptures too!

Please pray for me, and know that I am praying for you.
Greg