Olympic Passion

What are you watching these days? Beyond the news of tragedy that exists each day in our world, and the repetitive coverage of a Presidential race that began well over a year ago, chances are that you are one of the millions of people watching the Olympics.

I love watching the Olympics. I watched just a little of the opening ceremonies on Friday, but my real focus has been on the sports. As you know, I love sports anyway, but I am really enjoying the sports that you don’t get to watch regularly. I remember watching Wide World of Sports as a child and being fascinated with the different sports that exist. How can you not be gripped by the “agony of defeat?” (Cue the music).

The other day, I was captivated by Water Polo. I know that captivation may be stretching it, but I really was. I found myself cheering for the team as they were scoring, and running to the Internet to find some rules that I was not understanding. My wife heard me rooting for the team, and she wound up sitting with me as we rooted the Americans past the Chinese.

Not only do I enjoy the sporting events, but I also enjoy the human interest side of the sports, the stories bring life to those who are competing. We are brought into their lives through picture and through story that make the unknown competitor a real human being with hurts and desires just like the rest of us.

Did you hear about the mother in her thirties who is competing in gymnastics for Germany? She is competing in her record fifth Olympic games and was a part of the former Soviet Team in 1992. Following the dismantling of the former Unified team, she competed for her native Uzbekistan. She was married, had a son, but her journey was not over. It was her son’s diagnosis of Leukemia that landed her in Germany. She continued to compete because the prize money helped her pay for his treatment.

What about the swimmer from Korea who at the age of 14 was the youngest member of the team and to compete in his first Olympics. He qualified for only one event in Athens, and in the preliminary round fell off the starting block and was disqualified before he even began. Four years later, he stepped to a different podium after he won the 400m Freestyle.

In addition to the human interest stories, are the accounts of the athletic preparation and the mindset of the athlete. Steroids are a point of interest for the media, but they are also trying to focus on what athletes are doing to remain clean. The dedication, the mindset, the commitment, and the devotion to excellence and winning is staggering. The athletes that are competing at this level have one focus and one focus only – Winning.

It’s inspiring to watch someone give everything they have to one thing. Their entire focus and attention is about being a better athlete, doing everything that it takes. Watching someone like that makes me want to be better. I want to have that same passion.

But don’t worry! I’m not thinking about entering Olympic trials in the triathlon. What it makes me think about, however, is my own passion and devotion to Christ. Am I doing everything necessary to be a fully devoted follower of Christ? Am I putting everything that I have into making my life reflect that of Christ? Am I an example for others to follow? Am I measuring up? Am I falling short? Am I running the race?

I think all of us have to ask those questions of ourselves. And when we ask them, we can’t stop there. If we are falling short, falling off the podium before we even begin, we have to make changes in our lives. We have to be so committed that we are willing to do everything necessary to become what we are not; a fully devoted Christian.

We are thinking about that in this message series. What does it take to run the race with perseverance and endurance? What does it mean to cast off the weight of sin in our lives? Are you doing it?

This week we continue our series with “Run the Race: Traveling the Many Miles.” I invite you to come empty and ready to be filled by Christ. Devote yourself to him and I know that Christ will fill you. I look forward to seeing you this week in worship.

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

Willow Creek Day 1

Tracy is attending the Gifted To Lead Forum today at Willow Creek. I took her this morning so I could have the car if I needed it. I am spending the day working on my sermon for this Sunday as part of our Run the Race Series.

Wow! I don't think that I have fully come to terms with the size and magnitude of this place. Willow has always placed a high emphasis of making a kingdom impact in today's world. They are reaching people, and they are doing it in grand fashion. Even with the size, you are immediately welcomed and led in the right direction. I wonder just how many of our churches are doing the same thing?

This will be the second year in a row attending the Leadership Summit. This is the first at Willow. I will say it often - more people in Church leadership need to be attending this type of Leadership Conference (especially from the UMC in WPA).

Chicago Excursion

Tracy and I left this morning for Chicago, IL. We are going to the Leadership Summit at Willow Creek Community Church. We are both excited about our time here. Last year, you may remember that we attended the Summit via Satellite at Orchard Hill. This year, we decided to come to the real deal.

Tomorrow, Tracy will be attending the Gifted To Lead Forum for Women. It is a one day interactive Forum with Nancy Beach and Nancy Ortberg. Tracy is so excited about the possibility of interacting with other women leaders. While she is at the Forum, I will be working on my sermon for this week for our Run the Race Series.

But - I guess the reason for writing tonight is to describe our experience at Gino's East. We asked some friends who have been to Chicago for some ideas on food, and this was their pick! The website says that Chicago is known for its pizza, and Gino's East is the reason why. Our opinion is that they are absolutely correct!!!!

First of all - you walk into this place and you know that you are in for something different. There is graffiti all over the place. They actually give you crayons to write on the walls. So of course, I left my mark.

But the highlight of the night was our deep dish sausage and cheese pizza. I wish flavors could be pasted to this site. No words other than to say it was some of the best pizza that I've had. I love thin crust pizza, but this ranks up there. It was cool.

So we are waiting until tomorrow to venture over to South Barrington. Until later . . .

Run the Race

Our Sermon Series in August is entitled "Run the Race". We invite you to join us for worship for an exciting series that will challenge your faith. Run the race that is set before you - what do you have to lose?

Finding Rest

They say that sometimes you need a vacation after a vacation. The work that you do prior to vacation exhausts you and the vacation refreshes. However, the drive home and the plane rides, and the pile of mail that greets you upon your return only causes you to need another vacation.

Some have noted that the E-pistle has been on vacation. This has largely been due to prep work for vacation, the vacation, and the aforementioned the pile of mail that I went through upon our return.

However, I can honestly say that even today when I am preparing to go on a continuing education event, and I am trying to complete tasks that can only be done in the office, I am not in need of a vacation after my vacation. Don’t get me wrong, if someone offered an all expense paid vacation to Hawaii, I’d go! But I am truly rested.

I am blessed to have been able to take a vacation and get some much needed rest. I continue to say, even a week after returning, that I had a truly wonderful time doing nothing. I was truly blessed.

There was nothing more enjoyable to me than sitting on the shoreline, listening to the waves crashing. The constant sound of water moving in and out with the tides is soothing to me. I read books, I read magazines. I watched my children play in the sand, and run in an out with the waves. I listened to the girls gasp at the sight of sand crabs, and delight in the sight of dolphins moving along the shoreline. I grasped my littlest child’s hand as we ascended and descended the lighthouse steps, and I flew a homemade kite on historic grounds like Orville and Wilbur Wright. I ate far too much ice cream, and I ran with reckless abandon down a sand dune that will never be the same. I held hands with my beautiful wife as we walked along the beach.

Sometimes, all we need is a change of scenery, a change of perspective. In many ways, that simple change can be the rest that we need. I was able to get that on vacation. I saw things from a different angle, I listened with new ears, and I opened myself to the presence of God in my midst.

Do you get to do that? I’m not only talking about driving 500 miles away to the beach – but the perspective part. Do you get to do that? Do you get to find rest in the Lord? If you are saying right now that you haven’t or don’t, are you asking yourself why? And if you haven’t – are you planning a way of doing that. I believe we need to do that. Sabbath rest is important, not only weekly, but regularly. It recharges us, it refreshes us, and causes us to delight in the Lord.

The psalmist writes, “How precious is your steadfast love, O God! All people may take refuge in the shadow of your wings. They feast on the abundance of your house, and you give them drink from the river of your delights. For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light.” Psalm 36:7-9.

Today, I am thankful for God’s abundant grace, his love, and the refuge that he provides for me. I hope that you can find that same rest in his shadows, and feast abundantly in his house. If you haven’t recently – find time in the near future. God will bless you!

This week, we are continuing our Series entitled, “Run the Race” and I will be preaching on transitions in our lives. It is an exciting series, and I hope that you will not only make an effort to be in worship, but invite a friend. I look forward to seeing you this week.

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

Happy Birthday

Today is my beautiful wife's birthday. If you have been around her lately, she would have told you. She tells people that her birthday is coming, not to be braggadocios - but to celebrate God's gift of life.

Tracy had heart surgery when she was a tot and without it, she probably would not have lived passed her teen years. Today, surgery that Tracy had may be more common, but in the late sixties and early seventies, it was risky.

Several years ago, I had an amazing experience. I was visiting a parishioner in the hospital in Oakland. While there, I was introduced to a doctor who was visiting the patient. He had become a friend of the patient. In his 40's now, he had had several surgeries. The doctor went on to explain that he had performed one of this patient's first surgeries as a child.

In context, I went on to say that my wife had also had surgery of a similar kind when she was a child. The doctor asked her name. He then said, "Oh - I think I did her surgery." I was rather taken aback - but he said, I'm almost certain that she was my patient.

So I gave him my card, and he actually went and checked his records. He emailed me, and indeed he was the doctor. We had a wonderful exchange that day, and it was amazing to be able to meet the person who helped make it possible for Tracy to be here today. But what amazed me most was his acute attention to detail and recall of my wife's medical condition and his lasting concern for her well-being.

Thanks, Dr. Pontius for using your God given talents.

Today, Tracy celebrates God's gift of life and today I thank God for my wife.

Happy Birthday!

Amazing Things

Once again, Tracy and I had the wonderful opportunity to lead an Elementary Adventure Camp at Jumonville last week. This was the fourth year that we were Deans together. The kids never cease to amaze us, and God always provides.

At the beginning of the week as I was reading some scripture, I came across a passage that resonated with me. In the third chapter of Joshua, as the Israelites were preparing to cross the Jordon River into the Promised Land, Joshua told them to prepare themselves to worship the Lord. He said, “Make yourselves acceptable for worship, because God is going to do amazing things for us” Joshua 3:5.

It was the beginning of our week, we had much that was before us, and so I thought that it was amazing to read such a verse at the beginning of our week. I heard God speaking in those words that we should just be ready for anything. So I shared those words with the campers and reminded them that through all of the adventures, in all of the activities, during all of the challenges, we should be open to God and open to worship God through everything that we do.

Each night and even during Bible Study, we would give the opportunity to the kids to talk about how God was working, what they found amazing, where they saw God, and even asked them when they knew when God was real.

Both Tracy and I were amazed at the responses that we hear throughout the week. But above all of the responses about seeing God in creation and in the sounds of the river and the waterfalls, there was one response that continued to resound. Quite often the kids would talk about knowing, feeling, and experiencing God in a way that they felt protected, secure, safe, and loved. How powerful is that!

In biking, in climbing, in hiking, and even in a simple yet necessary harness – the kids felt God’s hand of protection on them. They attributed their safety all to God! Even when they ‘wrecked’ on the bike trail, or when they slipped off a hand hold on a climbing wall, even though they may be bruised or scrapped a little, they knew that things could have been much worse without God’s hand of protection in their lives. And yes, even when they saw their Dean battered and bloody from falling off Cucumber Falls, they knew that God was protecting us. Amazing and God glorifying stuff if you ask me.

So maybe that would be a good question for all of us to answer today. Where do you see God working in your life today? Where do you see God doing amazing things? Further, are you open and acceptable to make worship a daily part of your journey of life?

I pray that you are. Some of us think that worship only happens once a week, in a specific place. That could not be further from the truth. Worship happens in our daily lives, when we serve God, love God, and serve others. Open yourself to worship God this day – and God will do amazing things!

This week, we will continue our series on hymns of faith. Are Ye Able is the hymn that we will share and communion will be the feast that nourishes us. I hope that you will be with us this week. Have a safe and happy Independence Day!

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