"I Do!"

In our Sunday School class, we are reading a wonderful book by John Ortberg entitled, “If You Want to Walk on Water, You’ve Got to Get Out of the Boat.” It is a wonderful book and is causing us to think and talk about the spiritual boats in which all of us live, but also the ways in which we are called to get out of the boat and begin to serve God.

The premise of the book is the story from the Gospel of Matthew in which the writer recounts Jesus walking on water. In the midst of that story, Peter, the bombastic and often impetuous disciple is invited to come out of the boat. Jesus simply says, “Come,” and he comes.

Now we could go in so many different directions about how it all happened, what happened when Peter stepped out. We could talk about the storm, what led them to that place, and all other sorts of wonderful things. But what has really gotten me thinking is one simple word that relates not only to the book, but also to our lives as disciples.

One word has me thinking a lot these days, and that word is Engagement. No, I’m not talking about a betrothal or an agreement between a man and a woman that will lead to marriage. I’m talking about that which causes us to participate.

In order to further grapple with the word, I went to my standard – I looked up the word. Engagement means, to attract and to hold by influence. It can mean to move into gear or even to interlock. Engage means to hold the attention of and can also mean to promise or pledge to participate. Engage can also mean to respond.

One of those definitions makes me think about engaging a science fiction engine gear called “light speed.” Or you could also think about engaging or changing a gear on a bicycle. However the definition that really causes me to think – dare I say engage – is to attract attention or hold by influence.

Peter was engaged because of a simple invitation. But the invitation was not enough to get him out of the boat – there was something else.

I have been thinking a lot about the word “engagement” recently and even asking the question, “What causes people to be engaged?” I guess the converse of that might be, “What causes people to disengage, or simple not engage?”

I suggested on Sunday that “Greenhorns” on the Deadliest Catch engage, even in spite of the risk, because of the reward or the benefit that they receive at the end of a catch. Some people engage due to a passion that drives them. Some people engage due to the personality of the one asking the question. And yet, others simply do not move into gear, pledge to participate, or become attracted regardless of the message or reward.

What gets you engaged? What gets your blood boiling? What causes you to respond, participate, lock into gear, move forward, and become captivated? What is it that will make you get out of the boat?

Jesus simply said, Come. Peter engaged.

This week, we are concluding our series on Discovery Church with a message entitled “Dirty Jobs.” It is not only one of my favorite shows on Discovery, but it is a message that I am looking forward to sharing. I hope that you will engage in worship with us this week.

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

P.S. You are allowed to engage in conversation. Tell me what you think, how you are, and what causes you to become engaged?

A First!

One of the things that I love to say during children’s sermons on the Sundays following Easter Sunday is “Happy Easter.” I usually get a response of incredulity from one of the children. “It’s not Easter,” they will often say.

Well, it is! And while it is easy to forget that it is a season, Easter often quickly fades away from our memories as we move on in our churchy rituals and our rites of Spring. Far too quickly, we forget that moment when we hear that Christ is Risen.

Unfortunately, Easter that falls this early only leads to people taking an early break from church. It is easy to forget our joy, it is easy to forget that it is Easter. There is much to be done as Easter people as we proclaim the wonder of the resurrection.

On Easter Sunday, I shared a message with you about experiencing Easter like it was the first time. I was encouraging us to think about what it was like for those who first approached the empty tomb and heard that Jesus Christ, the one who was crucified, was not there. If you remember from the Gospel of Matthew, the women who visited the tomb, left with fear and joy.

As Easter people, we are to experience our life as if we are experiencing something for the first time.

On Monday following Easter Morning, we took the kids for an adventure. They had been asking about the falls of Beaver Falls for many months and so we decided to take them to see one of them. I dared not take them to the falls between Beaver Falls and New Brighton, I think that would have disappointed. So we headed to Buttermilk Falls.

I had only seen the sign from the road, so I was completely unaware of what surrounded us. As we made our way past an historic quarry and a stream, our daughter quickly went ahead of us.

In almost a startling voice, she cried out, “Oh my Gosh – come and look at this!” Of course, we quickly made our way up the hillside and discovered what she had already seen. A truly spectacular scene!

A waterfall; God-created, flowing, living, and breathtaking. It was unexpected and truly a joyful experience for all of us.

Hopefully, you are experiencing Easter in the same way. A joyful experience of newness, a resurrection that is God created, living, breathtaking, and wonderful. I hope that you will experience the spring that is being revealed to us each day this week, with newness and joy, and even a bit of fear.

Happy Easter!

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

The Important Things In Life

How many times in a day do you get one of those emails that offers you a philosophy on life and prompts you to send this onto five of the most important people including the one who sent it to you? I get them quite often, read them quite regularly, but don’t forward them. It’s not a reflection of the person or the message, but many times a time factor. Plus they really have to be the most spectacular thing I’ve ever read. Plus, how would I be able to come up with these wonderful emails that you delete? Just kidding!

I got one of those emails today. Actually it had all of the characteristics of the aforementioned, but it didn’t tell me that I was a heathen if I didn’t forward it. It was about the important things in life. I read it before, and I read it again.

In a nutshell, it asked if you could remember the five wealthiest people in the world, the last five Heisman Trophy winners, and even some other trivial information. I for one am usually a master of useless knowledge, but even this information is beyond my scope of reason.

It then asked if you could name a few teachers who aided your journey through school; three friends who have helped you through a difficult time; five people who have taught you something worthwhile; a few people who have made you feel appreciated and special; and five people you enjoy spending time with.

You can probably come up with the point of this story and the email, but sometimes these things cause you to think just a little bit about what is really important.

And then there are the times when a real email is read about a real situation, and it makes you take stock even more.

Late yesterday, after being home all day with the kids and dreading the fact that I was not in the office, I received a phone call from a college buddy. Our friend was in an accident in Maryland and was not expected to live. It is so hard to hear about a friend who is married with three children, who will not be with us much longer. So many thoughts go through your head, so much pain and hurt for the family. You remember a friend, and laughter.

And suddenly, you take stock in what is really important! Suddenly spending time sled ridding, building an igloo, and cooking dinner for your family isn’t so bad after all!

This entire time, I have been thinking about a text that I have often repeated, but it is also making a lot of sense today. Matthew reminds us of how Christ told his followers not to worry about tomorrow, which will bring worries of its own. Worry about the important things, and reassures us that God will take care of the rest. It also says, “Strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”

This E-pistle is a day late – but can you tell I’m not too worried? I value you and I value the opportunity to be with you. Simply writing this today is a cause for me to give thanks for the day, for my God, for you, for my family . . . well I could go on. But for now, I give thanks for today, and hope that you can as well. Remember, tomorrow will have worries of its own.

This week in worship we will continue our Lenten journey together as we hear the story of Nicodemus in John 3. I hope that you will be here and take stock in what God has given you this week. I look forward to worshipping with you.

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

To Fast or Not to Fast, That is the Question

For many across the country, today is a day of voting. But for the rest of us, today is a day of preparation. Some call it Mardi Gras, some Fat Tuesday, some shrove Tuesday, and even others call it Pancake day.

Regardless of what you call today, it is a day of preparation for Lent. Tomorrow begins the yearly observance of Lent that will last for the 40 days leading up to Easter. If you want to be technical – it is 46 days long, but Sundays do not count as official observance days. Lent is a time of penitence and fasting, a time of removing obstructions and obstacles in our walk of faith so that we might concentration on the sacrifices made on our behalf by Christ. Lent is a time of conversion where we can grow through repentance, fellowship, prayer and fasting.

For many faithful, fasting means giving something up. This is a more frequent practice in the Roman Catholic tradition, but has some strong merit. Removing obstacles in our lives causes us to be more in tune with the sacrifice. That’s where Shrove Tuesday or Fat Tuesday comes in. Today is the day when we can use up all of the things in our cupboards that cause us to break the fast, such as milk, eggs, flour, and butter.

There have been years in the past when I have entered into a Lenten Discipline of fasting from something. I have given up various things that have caused me to stumble such as Coke, candy, cookies and even caffeine. But unfortunately, my willpower is such that rather than truly fasting or eliminating that item, I substituted it with something else. Many times – that substitution was nothing more that – a substitute. It didn’t prove anything. If I gave up coke, I drank more coffee. When I gave up cookies, I rationalized my devotion to cakes. When I gave up caffeine altogether, I substituted that for having a headache all day and lashing out irrationally.

Personally, I think one of the hardest things to do is to fast entirely from food. Giving up all food for a day is quite difficult. Whether it is the psychological part or the physical part – it is just difficult. I actually tried it several years for one day each week during Lent. Sometimes it worked; other times I buckled under the pressure.

Regardless of what you do during Lent – I think it should be for the right reasons. Don’t give something up, or add something just to accomplish a task or look good. Don’t do it because of pressure from someone else or because “everyone else is doing it.” But do it so that you might be converted. Do it so that you might grow in faith, through repentance, fellowship, prayer and fasting.

On Ash Wednesday, you will likely hear a text from Matthew that says, “Beware of practicing your piety before others in order to be seen by them; for then you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.” To me that is a reminder that if I do something – it’s going to be to strengthen my faith, not so I can be seen by others as completing a task.

I will do something, but I haven’t decided what – I still have another 10 hours to decide. I invite you to enter into a spiritual discipline during Lent. Regardless of what you do – I hope that you do it for your own personal and spiritual growth.

This week, we begin our Lenten Journey together. I will begin a series entitled, “Follow Me” where we talk about denying ourselves, lifting up the cross, and following Christ. This week, we will be following Christ to the desert. I look forward to seeing you in Worship.

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

It is . . .snowing!

People say it often, “Greg, you act like a big kid!” My usual response to such a statement is one of gratitude rather than disdain. It is largely true and in my opinion, one that illustrates my personality. I take to heart the admonition from scripture that one must become like a child in order to inherit the kingdom.

Today is one of those days that confirm my child-like spirit. January has been less than exciting in terms of its weather, but today we finally had a prediction of snow. Initially, the reports were less than exciting – maybe less than an inch. But as I drove to work today, it was coming down, and coming down quickly.

There was that child-like inner spirit that was getting really excited. I Love Snow! I have said often that I love snow, mostly because I love all of the seasons. It’s January, and so it should be snowing would be my opinion. I know that it is not a popular opinion, but it’s my opinion and I’m sticking to it.

In my first appointment, we lived in the midst of the northern Snow Belt in Western Pennsylvania. To Pittsburghers, that’s what weather forecasters refer to as “above I-80.” Actually, I think it is misleading to talk about “the” Snow Belt. I like to think that there are several belts, and the severity of the snow in that belt just depends on the weather. We lived about 5 miles out of Titusville, and could get walloped with snow. Drive into Titusville, and there could have been a dusting. Drive 5 miles north of our home, and conditions could be more severe. However, the total opposite could be true in any given snow event.

I remember one year while we lived in Titusville, we had snow everyday for what seemed like 14 days. We had lake affect snow everyday in that period ranging anywhere from 6 to 10 inches. I remember because I shoveled our drive and porch everyday, and sometimes several times a day. Even in that much snow – I loved it.

In addition to shoveling, I would take walks in the woods, take Sarah for rides in the snow, and even sled ride with the children of the church. You now see some childlike behavior emerging.

But in spite of the shoveling and the fun, I think what I like most about the snow is that at this time of year, the snow seems to make everything new again. Snow has the capacity to cover up the dirt and the grime, it makes everything clean again.

There is something to be said for us as humans. We need the snow every so often to cover up and make us clean again. It is a chance to see that there is a better way of living. I don’t know about you, but I much prefer the clean to the dirt.

Lent is coming up, and while I suppose it would have been good to wait until the beginning of Lent to talk about this – it snowed today. It reminded me of a Psalm and prayer of cleansing and pardon. Psalm 51 asks God to wash us clean, wash us thoroughly from our iniquity. And then this is the part that I like, the part that I prayed as I was driving in that new, fresh, driving, snow – Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

This time of year, I imagine that there are a lot of us that feel like we need a fresh start, a clean start. It’s only January 22, and we already feel like we need to be made clean. Take a look at psalm 51 – it’s a good prayer, and a good start. You don’t have to like snow in order to ask for it. Just pray it this day and God will bring that cleansing for you.

“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me.”
Psalm 51:10.


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

Priorities

On Monday before I left the office, I wrote a brief list of things that I had to do. I occasionally write these lists hoping to remember all of the things that I have to do. I don’t always get to them all, but at least they are written down as a reminder. Sometimes the lists grow as the day goes along. Sometimes things get crossed off the list, other times, items linger.

Those lists often are sometimes more about priorities than lists of items that need to be accomplished. We may have many things that have to be done, but only the really important things get on the list. They become priorities.

I’m thinking about priorities today, because I’ll be truthful with you – this E-pistle was not one of them. In fact, it was lower down the list. The first thing that I needed to accomplish today was a Christmas letter. When that was done, I felt like I could spend some time on this.

That got me thinking about how we prioritize things in our life, especially during this time of year. Unfortunately, there are so many things that have to be done, that it becomes a matter of prioritizing our life and the tasks that have to be accomplished. You may be saying – how is that any different than any other time of year. I guess it’s different because of the pressures to get everything done.

That raises a question in my mind. Are you making worship a priority during this busy time of year or is it falling down the list of things to be done? Are you spending time in quite, in prayer, in devotion; or is it just something that can’t be done?

In a time when we make such a fuss over making appearances at holiday parties because we sent an RSVP, or making sure that we give a gift because it is something that is expected, are we making time for the important things?

Christmas and Advent are seasons of wonder, expectation, love and joy – but they can also be times of busy schedules and trying to meet the demands of everything that we put on our plates. So I guess this e-pistle is a simple reminder that in the midst of everything that we need to do, make sure you take some time for the things that really matter. In the end – I know that you will be blessed.

“Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness. And all these things shall be added unto you.” Matthew 6:33.

This week in worship, our children will be proclaiming the Word in their Children’s program. I know that this will be one of the special moments of the season. I hope you will make it a priority in your life. Following worship we will share in a congregational meal. Don’t forget to invite other to worship. I look forward to seeing you and welcoming you personally.

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

Being a Prophet

On my first Sunday in my first appointment, a young boy walked up to me and proclaimed, “My name is Joel, and I’m gonna be seven in seven days.” My response was, “Nice to meet you Joel whose gonna be seven in seven days.” I could tell that this little guy was loaded with energy and excitement. It certainly was a welcome greeting.

In my first years at this appointment, there were few children. So, in order to put on a children’s play during Christmas, we had to think creatively. In order to make it as simple as possible, we thought of a simple retelling of the nativity with the kids acting out the parts while the adults read from scripture.

As we were dividing parts, there were certain parts that were more popular than others. The first to go were the more glamorous parts like the Kings; and Mary and Joseph. The baby Jesus was always reserved for the newest born child in the congregation, so that was an easy part.

But you may remember that before any of those other characters even come into the play, there is this other character named John the Baptist. The Gospel of Matthew tells of him appearing in the wilderness proclaiming a message of repentance.

When it came to finding a child to play the roll of John the Baptist, we were not having much luck; seems that the roll was not as high profile as one might like. Immediately, I thought of Joel for the part. We had envisioned the part simply being one to go around the congregation and shout, “Prepare the way of the Lord!” That didn’t excite him.

So I quickly thought about what might get him to bite on the part. So I described this quirky character as being one who loved being outdoors. He wore a camel’s hair coat and lived off the land. He ate nothing but bugs and honey! I tried to make him as excited as possible. But that didn’t even get him to budge.

So I had to switch tactics because I really wanted Joel to fill the part. I said, “listen Joel, I’ll make you a deal. If you play the part of Johnny B, I’ll talk to your mother about not making you take a bath for an entire week before the play. You can be as dirty and stinky as you want to be – that’s exactly who John the Baptist was!” I could tell I was making headway as his eyes widened.

And with that he blurted out, “I’ll do it!”

It turns out that Joel’s reluctance at 7 years old doesn’t change much as we age. Being a prophet in today’s age is not only an unglamorous job, but it is difficult too. We become reluctant to take on the roll of a prophet for many reasons, but I think that chief among them is that we don’t want to be put in the position of delivering a message that is uncomfortable.

In recent years, there has been this ongoing conversation about whether you should say Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays. Obviously, as Christians we should be standing up for and saying Merry Christmas as a witness to our faith and as proclamation of what we believe. But moreover, I believe that we should be proclaiming it as a prophetic stance that we believe that Christ will come to be “the Way.”

All of us are acting the prophet’s part as we shop, as we sing, and as we stand in line at the grocery store. You are preparing the way for Christ in a world that needs to hear that Peace, Joy, Hope and Love are possible even in the midst of the chaotic lives that we live. Say Merry Christmas to everyone! You are preparing the way. You are offering others not an uncomfortable word, but Grace.

I invite you to play that roll this Christmas Season. Let me know if I have to speak to your mother about personal hygiene.

This week in worship, the Choir will be presenting their Cantata entitled, “Together for Christmas: a worship experience for the community of faith” by Pepper Choplin. We are excited about the time together. Be a prophet this week and invite someone to worship with you. Extend them not only the invitation, but offer to meet them at the front door so they won’t be so uncomfortable if they are new. Say Merry Christmas to someone just out of no where and prepare the way of Christ.

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

Dirty Job?

Do you have a repertoire of channels that you watch on television? Yes, maybe I should have first asked if you watch television. But I assume many of you do, so I asked the first question.

It’s rhetorical. It’s rhetorical, because it just opens the discussion and allows me to say that I do and I’m probably not alone. My channel surfing generally begins in the early channels and moves quickly to the sports channels. But it doesn’t take me long to get to the Food network, the History Channel, and ultimately to the Discovery Channel.

I don’t know why I go to the Discovery Channel so much, but I think it’s because I’m learning something new. I guess that’s why they call it Discovery. Some of my favorite shows on the channel are “How it’s Made,” “Myth Busters,” “Man v. Wild,” and even “Cash Cab.” The latter is less educational, but interesting if you’ve ever seen it.

But my favorite show recently has been, “Dirty Jobs!” Have you seen it?

The premise of “Dirty Jobs” is that the host, Mike Rowe, explores the less than glamorous world of jobs that people do each and every day in less than clean conditions. He calls them the unsung heroes of our lives. They do things that most people will not do.

The Dirty Jobs Website says this about the show.
Our brave host and apprentice Mike Rowe will introduce you to a hardworking group of men and women who overcome fear, danger and sometimes stench and overall ickiness to accomplish their daily tasks. Not one to just stand by, each week, Rowe will assume the duties of the jobs he's profiling, working alongside rattlesnake catchers, fish processors, bee removers, septic-tank technicians and other professionals: average folks tackling extraordinary tasks that simply must get done.

At the end of Dirty Jobs, the producers invite people to write to the show if they think that they perform a dirty job. Presumably, Mike Rowe will come and experience their job first hand. It makes me think about all of the dirty places that I’ve been where people work. I keep encouraging a friend to write about the foundry where they work – it certainly is a dirty job. And then there are all the jobs that I used to see performed on the farm just below our first church in Titusville.

I have actually thought about it from a personal perspective too. I wonder if what we do in the church would qualify as a dirty job. I have a picture on my bookshelf of a mission trip with Habitat for Humanity; I was pretty dirty in that picture. I have some pictures from Russia in our work at the United Methodist Seminary. I even think about painting someone’s home, sorting food, serving homeless at a soup kitchen, or even meeting someone on the streets who most people pass on a daily basis. Does this qualify as a dirty job?

But aside from the few pictures and examples that we can submit – I wonder again, does what we do as a church qualify as a dirty job? Do we do it daily, do we do it enough?

Recently, the church began a Visioning process. The Vision Team has set out on a journey to discover where God is calling us to be. The process and the vision is supposed to engage us and stretch us to points of being uncomfortable. A vision helps us define who we minister to, and a vision helps you decide when you choose to act and what to do. Sometimes, Vision calls us to get our hands dirty and go to the places that we do not want to go, but sometimes where God is leading us to go.

In Matthew 25, Jesus talks about the judgment of the nations and warns us about how we will be judged. I think it’s pretty explicit and calls us to do the things that might land us on Dirty Jobs. It may just call us to do things that we take for granted, and calls us to places that people do not normally go.

Do we do enough? Are we getting our hands and our feet dirty for the sake of the cross? Are you going to the places that no one will go? Where will you be when the Son of Man comes in Glory? For that matter, will I be on my Lay-Z-Boy watching Dirty Jobs, or will I be out there performing one?

“God, we know where we are supposed to be, and yet we are sometimes afraid. Call us to the places of need in our community and in the world, places where we might just get a little dirty for the sake of the cross. Protect us and give us strength, for in all ways we trust you and we do it for you. In Jesus Name. Amen.”

This week in worship we continue with our Congregational Study and talk about the importance of Presence in church. You have to come to hear it and you will understand how important it is to be here. God wants you here, the church needs you here. I look forward to greeting you here.

I have to go now to submit my proposal to Dirty Jobs.

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

It's That Time of Year Again

What time of year is it? If you were asked that question, you might answer it differently depending upon your mindset, your activities, or even your family circumstances.

It’s that time of year again, may mean that it’s High School Football season once again. Maybe your son or daughter plays in the marching band, or you have a child involved in the sport in some way.

It may also mean hunting season for you. Those of us who don’t hunt in this season probably wondered what the big fuss was over when the State decided to shut down the fire arms clearance site for a few days for upgrades. However, if you were a hunter who enjoys dove season, this issue may be important to you.

Most of us have forgotten that the Pirates are still playing, because the Steelers season begins in earnest this Sunday. Many throughout Western Pennsylvania will be glued to the television this week to watch the “Stillers” battle the dreaded “Cleve Brownies.”

Summer is over, so regardless of what the calendar says, it’s fall – that’s another season. School began for most of our children – so it’s homework season. Before too long, churches will be talking about money – so it’s stewardship season too.

But whether we know it or not, all of the above amount to something very important in the church. It’s harvest season.

I’m not talking about the harvest of all of the fruits and vegetables that is occurring right now, but the harvest of souls. Because what happens whether we know it or not, there is a season that exists right now when people are more likely to come to church. There is something happening right now when people know that its that time of year and it happens right about now, many times during Christmas, and then again at Easter. It’s harvest time because people are more likely to come to church, and they are more likely to respond to an invitation to church.

Sure it happens at other times too, but often times those seasons become intensely personal. Personal circumstances in life make people respond to church differently: change in job status, relocation, loss of a loved one, or even coming to college for the first time.

I have been reading some of the ninth chapter in Matthew’s Gospel recently and began to think about the harvest a lot. In that ninth chapter, Matthew is talking a lot about how Jesus Christ was reaching out to those who are outside the church including the sick, the tax collectors, and the lost – he called them sheep without a shepherd. He then went on to say, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”

Sure, harvest season is all the time. But sometimes I guess we need a little reminder that there may be someone new to you over the next coming weeks who needs to hear that they are loved, wanted, and needed right here in the church. I think we need that little reminder because each of us has our own priorities in mind at time of the year.

Let’s pray for that harvest. Almighty God, there are so many around us that need to hear your Word in their lives. They are hungering and thirsting for you and for your love. Help us to go out into the fields of harvest that you have made ready, and glean those who have been left behind by the world. Give us strength to see beyond our own perspective and see the needs of those who come seeking the shepherd. In Jesus Name, Amen.

This week in worship, we will be hearing a message on the cost of radical discipleship. My message title is “I Need Your Answer by Noon.” But if worship goes over this week by a few minutes, you can get me your answer then. But even before that, remember that Sunday School starts this week throughout the building for all ages. Invite someone, invite a child, invite a friend – they might just be waiting for an invitation. Hope to see you then.

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

A Gift

Have you ever seen some of those shows that “discover” how much something is worth? People find things in obscure locations and find out that it is worth tremendous amounts of money. Often times these items are in near perfect condition, hardly used, and probably seldom enjoyed.

I have often thought about some of the things that have been discovered and think back to the items that I once had: Star Wars toys and figurines, Steel Tonka trucks, and large sized G.I. Joes. All of these toys that I once had could have been on a list of things discovered. Only one problem – I played with them.

I have a doll (I choose to call it a toy) in my drawer. His name is Harry Baby. I don’t think that’s his original name, but it is my name for him. He is a cloth doll with hard rubber arms, head and legs. He has electrical tape holding his head on. His fingers and toes have been chewed off, and he has had several appendectomies. He is my toy, but he was enjoyed by my siblings as well.

If he was not about to fall apart at the slightest breath, I would probably let my children play with him. I am told that it was/is a Madame Alexander Doll. Some might know what that really means, but to me he was just a bald and naked baby doll that I carried around by its neck. I guess if we hadn’t played with him, he could be one of those discovered treasures.

This year, our children received very expensive dolls for Christmas. They are American Dolls. Some children get the dolls and they dress them up and put them on a shelf, only to be admired, looked at, and never touched. When we were looking at the dolls and asking questions of the representative, we were discouraged at one point from even buying a particular doll. “Your daughter is too young for Falicity,” we were told.

When my kids got them, I guess they could have done the same as some children and place them into mothballs, but they didn’t. My parents who actually gave the girls the dolls told them, “these dolls are for play, not show.” Good thing too – I don’t think putting it on a shelf would have worked in our family.

Gifts are an amazing thing. Yet often times we choose to put them on a shelf, or in a cupboard so that they won’t be broken or destroyed. Sure, you may be able to “discover” them later in life, but what do you gain in the meantime. You may also see that the gift goes unused, only to see its value diminished in the future.

I for one am in favor of playing away. My life is much better having played with my Harry Baby and my Star Wars figures, and our daughters are better off playing with their American Girl Dolls.

The Gospel of Matthew tells a story in chapter 25 about talents. It is a parable that talks about being given so much. The characters are just given the gifts, one five, one two, and the other one. They go off each in their own direction, each with their talents. Two invest, and one decides to play it safe and put his on a shelf.

That story reminds me of the gifts that we are given. We have a choice to bury them, put them on a shelf; or use them and discover the hidden treasure that is revealed. It is a story that talks about how God has given us so much, so many gifts. We have a choice to make. We can either choose to neglect those gifts, or use them.

I guess you know where I stand.

Maybe as we move forward into a new year within the church, you should be asking yourself some tough questions. What gifts have I been given? Have I been using them to the glory of God? Am I building the kingdom, or just hoping to reap some benefit for myself later? Finally, how can I use the gifts that I have been given?

Gracious and loving God, you have given us so much. For that we give thanks. But we pray this day that we might first discover what you have given to us and not waste the provisions and the gifts that you share. Embolden us to service, O Lord, that others will come to know you and your great love. In Jesus name, Amen.

Humble Thyself

Last week on a retreat, our covenant group had some candid and honest conversations about Leadership and moving forward in ministry. We talked a lot about not getting distracted by things that may seem of the earth, while at the same time being Biblically focused and Christ Centered.

Today in my devotion (trying to do that following our discussion), I read scripture not only from Psalm 1, but also Matthew 20. The Matthew text reminded me of our discussion on Thursday and Friday and reinforced it completely. In order to become great, we must be a servant first.

And then I read a great selection from a reading. James Allen wrote in "As a Man Thinketh" this passage.

And you, too, youthful reader, will realize the Vision(not the idle wish) of your heart, be it base or beautiful, or a mixture of both, for you will always gravitate toward that which you, secretly, most love. Into your hands will be placed the exact results of your own thoughts; you will receive that which you earn; no more, no less. Whatever your present environment may be, you will fall, remain, or rise with your thoughts, your Vision, your Ideal. you will become as small as your controlling desire; as great as your dominant aspiration . . . .

In all human affairs there are efforts, and there are results, and the strength of the effort is the measure of the result. Chance is not. "Gifts," powers, material, intellectual, and spiritual possessions are the fruits of effort; they are thoughts completed, objects accomplished, visions realized.

The Vision that you glorify in your mind, the Ideal that you enthrone in your heart - this you will build you life by, this you will become.

Leadership is not an easy task. And we must be careful to be mindful of all that God is continuing to bring to us in scripture, thought, prayer, and ultimately service.

Let's pray that we continue to look to God for the Vision of our hearts.