Anointed At Comstock

Six days after Memorial Day Gene and Gayleen Beavers arrived at Comstock, where they lived and ministered for 23 years. Here a dinner was given in their honor. Many served while many others were instructed to simply enjoy the sweet fellowship of the hour. In attendance were those eternally indebted to the selflessness of the couple. Baptisms, births, funerals, tragedy, graduations, ball games, encouragements, challenges, car rides... tolerating small faith, lagging growth, majoring in minors and stubborn hearts... all in the name of Christ's love. And it was genuine.

Erik best summarized the moment as he painted a picture of our coming before God at communion, all of our junk in tow yet received by the face of one who's joy is fully found in our desire to make things right. Who can deny the room filled with the recipients of God's (Gene's) grace?

I suppose we could have taken all the time, effort and money that was used to honor our dear friends and given it to the poor instead. But that wouldn't have made a dent in the poverty stricken citizens of our community compared to the room filled with aroma of the offering poured over the feet (how beautiful indeed) of those who brought the gospel to the same community.

How appropriate that we thank and honor the living. Especially those who have selflessly served us. Let the dead bury the dead. Those who have been given life know better. Lazarus did, do you?

Take A Leap

A Day In the Life - So I have an office calendar that listed Thursday February 16th as Ash Wednesday. Recognize I don't follow this religious observance, but I actually talked myself into assuming the start of Lent being on Thursday this year had something to do with Leap Year. I even wished, someone (who is Catholic) on that day, a Happy (or sad...whatever we are supposed to be on that day) Ash Wednesday. The person looked at me a little strange but didn't correct me or question me. But come to think of it, they did look a little perplexed.
Coffee & Donuts - It wasn't until I went to Meijer the next Monday (the day before Fat Tuesday) that I realized I (and my calendar) was off. Yet I didn't stop to consider why I was wrong about it any more than I had stopped to think why Ash Wednesday would be on a Thursday (I mean was Easter going to be on a Monday?). I just accepted it as being wrong. Right or wrong...I am used to being one or the other.
Kruger Industrial Smoothing - "I'm not too worried about it." Evidently he was after all. Daniel von Bargen attempted suicide last week. Right or wrong does add up after a while. We act like it doesn't matter or we hope it won't, but our decisions take their toll. It must be hard to attempt suicide, a lot of things to consider... many people succeed at it. Also, many people fail at killing themselves. That's gotta be hard to live with. Or maybe the second chance is worth the failure.
Whitewater Can Be Treacherous - I recommend watching the new PBS.com film on William Jefferson Clinton. Very interesting. Dee Dee Myers says that Clinton believed in second chances. He believed that a person should receive as many as they were willing to attempt. Better theology than politics. Yet Clinton took advantage of every one he received. Where is he now? My guess, like the rest of us, he is working one of them out.
An Extra Day - You woke up today like every other day. Step wisely. Your choices matter. Act like it but more importantly, live like it.

New Year/ New You

"You take money way too seriously." Isn't that what Jesus was saying to the Rich Ruler? Money isn't bad. The ability to make money isn't bad. Being wealthy isn't bad, in fact, much good (Kingdom good) can come from wealth. It wasn't about the money it was about the man's blind spot. Unfortunately, for the man it was all about the money.

"Only God alone is good." I never understood why we are hard on this man for not following Jesus. We assume that he didn't follow because "he was sad because he was a man of great wealth". But whose to say he didn't follow? Churches are full of those who have done very little about the blind spots that Jesus has revealed. Besides only God is perfect.

"All these I have kept since I was a boy." Isn't it funny how we justify our faithfulness as we fight the conviction of the Holy Spirit? This man was carried away by finances. He could tithe half his income and Jesus would still whisper "You still trust your wealth more than me". Of course his church leadership would applaud his faithfulness. But Jesus knows the heart. He knows your heart.

"You still lack one thing" He was pretty good to only lack one thing. Most of Christ's followers lack multiple things. What do you lack? Jesus will probably tell you this way: "You take _______ way too seriously".

Thankful

Family - So many are faced with difficult times. The support and encouragement of those closest to you make the difference. I am thankful that I have those. Love is unconditional. Service is sacrificial. Strength is shared.
Friends - So many are faced with self doubt. The trust and respect of those around you make the difference. I am thankful that I have those who believe in me, follow me and work alongside me even as I struggle to believe in myself.
Faith - So many are faced with uncertainty. What does the future hold? Don't know but "it is well with my soul" which makes all the difference to me.

Ethics, Morality and Brotherly Love

Tea Pot - Is there anything wrong with this story? "I love garage sales. One time, my wife asked me to get her a tea pot. I arrived early before the garage sale opened, and was asked if I was looking for anything in particular. I said I needed a tea pot, the lady said "Sorry I don't have any...oh, wait, I do have one downstairs that was my Grandmother's I'll get it." She came back and handed me a tea pot that I recognized as a valuable antique, I asked how much she wanted for it, she said "$5.00" and I quickly said "I'll take it". Quickly gave her the money and left with my treasure."
It Was A Steal - Anything wrong with that story? Turns out the tea pot was a limited edition of a famous maker that was worth $300. Pretty nice little buy. Some might even call it a steal. I would. I realize situational ethics can be murky. I'm sure I do things that others would question as right. But if it is stealing, then it is a moral issue. And if the lady was a Christian, then that is a Love issue, isn't it? No? Than what is it, good business?
Illustration - On another level something is wrong with this story because I heard it told introducing a sermon on the parable of the hidden treasure. The speaker was conveying the joy the worker had in selling everything he had in order to purchase the field. Wow. I was intending only to listen to the beginning of this message, but once he told this story I had to listen to the whole 40 minutes hoping he would confess and somehow explain how he returned it, but no such luck. I guess he thought it was okay.
Screw Your Neighbour - Since when is it okay to take advantage of the naive for our own gain? Does God provide for us as we manipulate the good will of others? We used to play a card game where the goal was to hurt the person on your left and right. Uno is a game where you can do the same with anyone in the game. Not really a Biblical idea.
Serve - We may disagree on the specifics here but we agree that serving others is the best choice. After all, the "life that truly is life" is what we really want to take hold of.

Leather Face

Trickle-Down Economics - Last night was the first time in thirty years I played a baseball or softball game with a different glove. I was fifteen and Ronald Reagan was President (and George Brett was King) the last time a tried a different glove. It was strange and uncomfortable to say the least. I was playing first base and the thought of my "broken" in glove not collapsing around the ball was a little uneasy. I missed two ground balls that old faithful would have easily swallowed whole. It is not a stretch to say my glove made me look & play better than I am.

By A Thread - To make matters worse, the glove broke during warm-ups. For well over a year I knew the glove could go any time. One more grounder, one more throw, one more line drive. The webbing of the glove was being held by a single/tattered leather thread. Why would I have thought the timing would ever be good? Why wouldn't I just go get it fixed before it broke? Why would I wait for the inevitable to happen, why wouldn't I save the pain? Why...you ask. Because that's what I do.

Leather Cobbler - My friend told me about a shoe repair shop that advertises glove repair. It will be fixed. I could buy another one (or use one of the six or so I have laying around my garage/basement) but I don't have the time to properly break-in a new one. Besides, the memories are worth more wearing it than any skill or joy I find in using it. So my Rawlings-wing tip-fastback-edgeUbated heel-brooks robinson-xfcb17-cbl09 will survive this. It's the least I can do after thirty years of faithful service.

Marriage Math

April Showers, May Flowers, June Brides - So you like numbers! Me too. Actually math was one of my better subjects in school growing up. I have learned that there are three types of people in the world: Those who like math and those who don't. (Thanks JMR) I liked math but I kept it pretty basic, no advanced math topics or calculus. My enjoyment of math was due to me keeping the bar pretty low. I can add and subtract with the best of them.

Twenty-Five or Six To Four - This is totally subjective, but it comes from my heart and I hope you know I believe it with all my heart...I want to share with you three of the biggest problems facing married couples today and Bible numbers that will solve each one. If we would look at "problems" like we use to in math class, maybe we'd be more apt to work at solving them. In school, I could control the level of math I was challenged with. But in life there is no such luxury. Marriage is tested by the nastiest word problems this school can think up. But solve them you can. With flying colors!

One Is The Loneliest Number - The first problem facing marriage is SELF. You make marriage difficult! Your will, your agenda, your needs, your priorities, your opinions, your pleasure, your timing - all will test the health and unity of your marriage. Every day you must attend a funeral to self. Your needs are only met through the laying down your life for your spouse. So what is the number of marriage?

Ecclesiastes 5:9-12 "Two are better than one, because they have a good
return for their work; If one falls down (the other) can help him up, but pity
the man who falls and has no one to help him up! Also, if two lie down together,
they will keep warm. But how can one be warm alone? Though one can be
overpowered, two can defend themselves."


Tea For Two - So it's the number two, right? It would appear to be, but listen to the last line of Solomon's equation: "A chord of three strands is not easily broken" There it is. THREE is the number that overcomes self. The day each of us accepted Christ as our personal Savior and Lord we died to self (This is assuming that you and your partner are both Christian, if not you've got a different problem!). Jesus is your Lord. When you married you brought another into the equation so the number is three not two. Which is a good thing because without putting Christ first it would really be difficult to experience the selfless nature marriage requires. As a Christian you have already forfeited your rights, your will, your plans...you get the idea. Plus, as a Christian you have already learned that it is okay to do so. That to save your life you must lose your life. To get you must give. To be first you must be last. That's the "new" math! The number is not one, not two, but three.

Like A Band Aid - The second problem facing marriage is HURT. You are going to offend and hurt each other. It's inevitable. You see things differently, you say things differently, and you feel things differently...and as you figure that out there will be hurt. But that is only part of the hurt equation. Also lurking is past hurt (not from each other). It's called baggage. The hurts we bring into the marriage. Since we're piling it on, there is another source of hurt that will cause problems in your marriage. Stepping outside the threshold of your loving marriage is the bitter cold shoulder of the world. Your boss or a co-worker is going to offend you, a driver is going to cut you off, a politician isn't going to keep their promise and guess where you take all those hurts? Back across the threshold to your humble abode. And they fester. So add it up that's a lot of hurt! So what is the Bible's answer?

"Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, 'Lord, how many times shall I forgive
my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?' Jesus answered, 'I tell
you, not seven times, but seventy times seven." Matthew 18:21-22


Smarter Than A Sixth Grader - FOUR HUNDRED-NINETY, right? Peter's sum represented keeping score, and oh how we love to keep score! Most of us can keep track of seven on our fingers (even with a couple of industrial accidents). Jesus' figure represents health & happiness. It's who we are rather than what we do! We must learn and practice forgiveness every single day. Hurts don't just go away. And every hurt is detrimental to the health and happiness of our marriage. Forgiveness is essential. The number is not seven it's four hundred-ninety!

Jesus Abolished The Law - The third problem facing marriage is FINANCES. Experts tell us this is the number one problem facing married couples today. Christian and non-Christian alike. Right across the board. So what is the Bible answer?

Then Jacob made a vow saying, "If God will be with me and will watch over
me on this journey I am taking and will give me food to eat and clothes to wear
so that I return safely to my father's house, then the Lord will be my God and
this stone I have set up as a pillar will be God's house, and of all that you
give me I will give you a tenth." Genesis 28:20-22


Prayer Of Jabez Has Nothing On The Prayer Of Jacob - The number to remember is TEN. Weddings are fun because every single person attending wants what is best for you. They give gifts, advice and encouragement. They pick out something that they have enjoyed and just want you to have it, too. The best I have to offer you is this: Tithe! Give your first and best to God. Dedicate all you have as from the Giver of all things and honor him. Be trustworthy with His wealth. Be a conduit of support for His Kingdom. It will forever solve the problem of finances in your marriage. Guaranteed (Malachi 3:10)!

Pop Quiz -The test won't go away until we graduate from this earth. When your trust is in God like Jacob, you can face anything. Jacob was a wealthy man, he had done pretty good for himself...but Jacob was smart. Like the other Patriarchs of the Bible, Jacob knew it could all be lost in a moment. But God is faithful. Jacob didn't know anything about Moses' Law. But He knew of the example of Abel, Noah and his Grandpa Abraham. After Twenty-Five years of marriage I know it to be true too. I was smart enough to heed the advice of those who told me the same.

Three - Four Hundred-Ninety - Ten - Go For It!