Friday, December 18, 2009

My Best...

So as I was trying to find some boots for this snow to come I was listening to Mercy Me’s Christmas album, which happens to be one of my favorites ever! They have some really cool arrangements of some classic songs like Silent Night, Angels We Have Heard on High and the most classic O Holy Night. But the one song that I really dig is The Little Drummer Boy.

It’s basically like you remember with all the pa rum pum pum pum’s, and what not, but then it goes into this killer bridge that gives the song a whole new life and causes me to rethink how I’m living my life before Jesus.
“Shall I play for you? Shall I play for you? Mary looked at me and nodded the ox and lamb kept time, oh I played my drum for him, I played my best for Christ… I played my best for Christ.”

Have I played my best for Christ? That’s when it hit me.
Have I done my best to serve Christ? Have a done my best to love others the same way God loves me? Have I done my best serving the people of Fieldstone? Have I done best offering everything I have to God?

As we journey closer to the manger this year, as we come bringing gifts, I pray that we all “play our best for Christ.”

Much Love & Christmas Peace,
Speak On That!

Friday, December 11, 2009

TEll IT....

A couple of weeks ago we started throwing out this idea that God Is Not Done and God is still actually working in the hearts and minds of people all around. I have already seen in the past couple of weeks that God is still raising the dead.
As we journey closer to the manger, I can’t help but be drawn to new life. Now, I know that I’m grown up, have more grey hair than most and probably a little cantankerous/difficult at times. And yet, even for me, I have the opportunity to enter into something very new as I consider the ways God is moving.
I guess what I mean to say is that God can still do something within me but I have to be willing.
Are you willing?
I believe an emphasis of Christmas falls on the spirit of willingness to receive the gift offered in and through Jesus Christ. Are you willing to receive freedom? Are you willing to forgive? Are you willing to grow up and take responsibility? Are you willing to love even in those moments that hurt you the most? Are you willing to listen? Are you willing to risk your reputation for following God? Ask Mary and Joseph. They did.
This year God is looking to give a gift of life. Are we ready? Are we willing to say yes?
What if we did? What if we actually bought into the spirit and willingness of Christmas? What if we actually loved harder than anyone else?

Speak on That!

Thursday, December 3, 2009

Magic?

So basically our nighttime routine is like this. After teeth are brushed, flushed the toilet for the last time, Lori and I read a couple of books, take some time to pray and then one of us will lay with him for a couple of minutes.
Most of the time he wants Lori to read to him and then me to lay with him and during that time I hear all kinds of things from Kindergarten Drama, the next level of LEGO Star Wars all covered with various noises that little boys make in the midst of conversation.

Last night though, things were a little different. Jackson just blurted out, “Believe is a Christmas word dad!” He kept on going by saying, “we need to believe in the magic of Santa!”

In my mind I wanted to say something like, “Well, Jackson you know that the reason for the season is Jesus and blah, blah, blah.” But I didn’t. I listened. He asked me if I believed in the magic? Because if you don’t believe in the magic then you don’t believe in Santa. That’s when I had that Polar Express moment.
Jackson believes right now in something bigger than himself. He believes in something that is magical, something that changes circumstances, brings joy and laughter, filled with hope and expectation. Right now he believes.
Do we?

I’m not suggesting we believe in magic. Hello! But I am suggesting that we believe in something bigger that brings joy and hope, filled with expectation. Do we still believe? Are we right now, all grown up, paying bills and dealing with adult things that we don’t have time to believe in the greatest story still being told?

As we continue through the season of Advent, moving toward the manger I’m asking you to believe again. I’m asking you to believe in the power of prayer. I’m asking you to believe in the reality of forgiveness and peace. I’m asking you to believe in the power of community and the power of a servant king born on the outskirts of town in the middle of controversy.
Do you still believe?

Speak On That!

Monday, November 23, 2009

Phone Calls...

Tonight I talked to a former student of mine from back in the day. I was his youth pastor about eight years ago, (yes for me that’s back in the day) and he was talking about his upcoming wedding next September. I will have the privilege of sharing in that moment next year, but the phone call really hit me…

First of all, I was in the middle of writing this note, so it put me behind. Second, I have a boatload of work to do in the next two days. Thirdly, my head is full of a stupid cold and hasn’t made my last 24 hours great. What about you? Aren’t you there? Many of us are making plans to cook turkeys or veggie delights to prepare for the trademarked “Turkey Coma” (Thanks Mary Devon).

Things are getting crazier by the moment, everybody is busy, everybody has something else to do on their list including this note, so I’ll wrap it up…

We are moving into the season of Advent, a marked Holy Time, set apart not to prepare our homes, but to prepare our hearts and souls for the coming of Jesus in Triumph! Don’t get me wrong, I’m going to put up my tree, and I’m going to eat my share of Christmas cookies, but this season of Advent is like the call of an old friend, happening to take your mind and heart to another place for a time.

It’s in that place away from all the hustle and bustle that you and I are already sharing in to make a point to share in what God has in store for us this year. God is not done friends. God is not done.
So take that phone call, sit at the table a little longer, laugh out loud, get on the floor and read to your kids, forgive someone, remember the poor, and whatever it is that interrupts your life.

I pray that you and your family have blessed Thanksgiving.

Speak ON That!

Phone Calls...

Tonight I talked to a former student of mine from back in the day. I was his youth pastor about eight years ago, (yes for me that’s back in the day) and he was talking about his upcoming wedding next September. I will have the privilege of sharing in that moment next year, but the phone call really hit me…

First of all, I was in the middle of writing this note, so it put me behind. Second, I have a boatload of work to do in the next two days. Thirdly, my head is full of a stupid cold and hasn’t made my last 24 hours great. What about you? Aren’t you there? Many of us are making plans to cook turkeys or veggie delights to prepare for the trademarked “Turkey Coma” (Thanks Mary Devon).

Things are getting crazier by the moment, everybody is busy, everybody has something else to do on their list including this note, so I’ll wrap it up…

We are moving into the season of Advent, a marked Holy Time, set apart not to prepare our homes, but to prepare our hearts and souls for the coming of Jesus in Triumph! Don’t get me wrong, I’m going to put up my tree, and I’m going to eat my share of Christmas cookies, but this season of Advent is like the call of an old friend, happening to take your mind and heart to another place for a time.

It’s in that place away from all the hustle and bustle that you and I are already sharing in to make a point to share in what God has in store for us this year. God is not done friends. God is not done.
So take that phone call, sit at the table a little longer, laugh out loud, get on the floor and read to your kids, forgive someone, remember the poor, and whatever it is that interrupts your life.

I pray that you and your family have blessed Thanksgiving.

Speak ON That!

Thursday, November 19, 2009

Tell IT....

So here's the thing. I stink at keeping this thing consistent. I need some help.

But in case you are not going to help, I'm just going to write, write, write....

I wrote a letter today to a friend in jail. She's in prison for whatever reason, you know how one things leads to another. It's taken me a while to write, I"m not sure why, other than like most things, we say, I'll get to it later. But I kept getting convicted about it. Finally with some prodding from the Holy Spirit, I finished it and it's getting in the mail. And as I'm thinking about it, it was one of those moments when I actually felt like I was doing something faithful. I actually felt like I was doing something that was kingdom-ish. Dude, how many times have I not done that? How many times have I neglected my responsibility as a follower of Christ.

This weekend we are moving into Christ The King Sunday, and Jesus says in John 18:37, "For this I came into the world (to inaugurate a world of peace and fellowship, of justice and respect for other people’s rights, of love for God and for one another) to testify to the truth." Speaking of truth, I can't help but think that you and I need to spend time finding ways to do that. If Christ is the King of me, it's time for me to serve my king right?

Speak ON THAT! Peace

Thursday, September 10, 2009

Just A Thought...

C.S. Lewis wrote, “I may repeat “do as you would be done by’ (Do unto others as you would have them do unto you) till I am black in the face, but I cannot really carry it out till I love my neighbour as myself: and I cannot learn to love my neighbour as myself till I learn to love God; and I cannot learn to love God except by learning to obey Him” (Mere Christianity, 87). (BTW, I know neighbor is spelled differently)
And so begins the ultimate struggle between what I want to do and what God wants me to do. I’ve been truly dealing and wrestling with that for more than a minute as I continue on this journey with God. When we initially hear the word “obey” it’s like STOP! Nobody move…nobody get’s hurt. This is almost as contentious as a Health Care Debate. For some, there is this automatic push that fights obeying just because it’s not what I “want” to do. But what does it really mean to “obey” God?
Well it can’t mean cowering down to a vengeful God. That’s not going to work. It can’t mean forcing others to do anything they don’t want to do. That’s not going to work. It can’t mean scaring people into places where they believe. That’s totally not going to work, and honestly I think that’s so far away from where God is that it’s borderline psycho. But it does mean, that if we really love God like we say we love God, then we live our lives a way that reflects that love of God.
Obedience to what God says. Forgiveness matters. Integrity matters. Justice and mercy matter. Hope matters. Hugs matter (okay it doesn’t say that exactly but you get the point). Grace matters.
The way we begin to understand those ideas is for us to be invested and involved deeper day after day. Lewis is suggesting that in order for us to grow in faith and understanding we have dig deeper into the service of God’s people. We have to open ourselves up to the celebration and worship of a present God and we have to open our hearts and minds to the study of God’s word through small groups and spiritual formation.

Speak On That!

Friday, September 4, 2009

Last week...

So here’s the thing… Two crazy/weird God things happened last week in my little world. The first one, is more comical that not, but it started me thinking about church….
I was in Roanoke at the COX cable building about to do some filming for a commercial to air this fall or around Christmas (Don’t worry, I totally embarrassed myself) and I had to go to the bathroom. I turned on and noticed the toilet sit was left up. Okay, stay with me here. I figured, that’s one less thing I have to do and then I noticed it, plain as day under the toilet seat, the word CHURCH.
Okay, my wife informed me that CHURCH did make toilets but this was surprise to me. I was unaware. It was a totally God moment though, because it reminded me of where the church really is. It’s not completely at 3385 North Franklin Street. It is in fact in those places that we sometimes least expect it, and definitely in those places where you don’t want to go.
If the church really happens outside of the “church” then there has to be something that we are learning inside the “church” right? Every moment of most days you are I are learning something new. Whether it’s through the latest Tweet, or most recent text, we are gathering some new information that teaches us.
Sooo…. The way I see it, the church has gotten a bad rap. Because the church has gotten knocked around and because the church has wrongfully knocked around others, we need to bring holy back. We need to bring holy, set apart to serve, back and we need to bring real, in the places you don’t want to go love back, so the people of God might say the same thing that Jackson told me on Wednesday morning when he said, last night Jesus held his hand while he was sleeping.

Speak on It!

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Still Got It...




This is from this weekend...More to follow about the story. This is my crew from high-school 15 years later!!

Speak on that!

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

I almost forgot...

I have dear friends who actually read this blog. I know, I'm surprised as well. Amanda Garber and Lisa Dockins, I'm actually thinking of making a real blogging comeback.

Speak on It!

First Day....

So today I watched my son get on the bus for the very first time. It’s funny how he walked on the bus like he’d done it a thousand times before. Lori and I held it together until the bus took off and as we started walking back up the hill toward the house we lost it. Yeah…we cried a little.

So now, for our family there is a new adventure. If I’m being honest, I’m a little overwhelmed with trying to understand the ramifications of what this day really means for our future. Not getting crazy, here, but his life and the life of our family will be very different from here on. This experience will form and transform Jackson and all of us over time. (I just hope he doesn’t get sent to the principles office the first week, because then there will really be some transforming going on!)

Of course it will be exciting, breathtaking, exhausting, crushing, difficult, and life- altering from moment to moment. And each day will be different. I think I’m ready. But then again, if we don’t move forward, where are going to go?

Tomorrow you will have another day before you. You will probably get into your car, go to work, hang out or do whatever you do, just like you’ve done a thousand times before. But what if anything will cause your day or our life to be different? What will transform you? I’m not really a cynic, but I don’t think the most recent healthcare debate, or just because Hokie football is upon us we will really, I mean really be transformed by either.

But Jesus will.

Your boy Paul wrote to the church in Corinth and he said “anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” (2 Cor. 5:17).

Once we start getting serious about that one statement, things become very different in our life. It doesn’t mean we don’t fall down, or get dirty sometimes, because life is difficult. Hello! BUT…it does mean that because I’m a new person, with the power of Christ working in me, and I’m trying to live my life as Jesus modeled (surrendered, and full of love) then when I get on that bus tomorrow morning I’ve got the strength to live and the strength to love…

Each of us has another moment…

Speak on It!

Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Haters...

You know what bothers me. Haters. Sometimes when I'm hanging out, people try to hate! It's funny how everyone seems to think that they are comedians, when in fact they are haters. Now, you may be wondering how I could be so cruel. Don't read too much into this rant. It's just for fun and to ensure some friends, (aka Lisa) that I still know how to post a blog.

Speak On That!

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

More than breakfast...

So this morning I was eating breakfast (imagine that) with our men's bible study at a local restaurant when all of a sudden it happened…

We had really finished breakfast but there were three of us still hanging out for a little conversation.  I stood up and moved to the side and before I knew it, the three of us had completely blocked the aisle.  So we talked for a couple of minutes with seemingly no issue.  The place was just about empty when all of a sudden one of the waitresses stopped and gave us a “slap you in the mouth look.”  

She said, “Do you think you are at home?” “You think you can just sit all around here wherever/however you want?” We all three replied “No ma’am,” and quickly moved back around the table to continue our conversation. 

Over the course of the day I’ve considered two ways of interpreting this event.  Before I go any deeper here…let me say, I’m cool with what she said, actually even how she said it, but it does bring to mind some possible thoughts to consider in relation to the church.

She didn’t hold back in telling the truth.  That’s refreshing actually.  Sometimes in the church we hide behind the truth don’t we?  What keeps us from speaking the truth in love?  (Ephesians 4:14-16) 

Probably afraid to lose members, upset the apple cart or some other dumb reason…but still we stop. 

Or maybe people aren’t ready to hear the truth?  Could it be? 

Speak On It!  

Monday, April 27, 2009

Okay...

I know I'm a total dork and I'm tremendously behind on posts...  So in light of that I'm going to try just a little harder.  Okay, maybe.  

In the meantime check out the interpreter magazine... 
Speak On It.... Peace

Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Veggie...

So I know I'm delinquent in posting.  Thanks for the heads up Mandi!  I want to ease back in to this thing.  I wanted the world to know that for breakfast this morning I had a veggie omelette! From my perspective I was quite pleased.  It truly did fill me up.  Maybe I should eat more veggies....

Speak On It.... 

Friday, February 13, 2009

Pretty Sweet....

So tonight, Jackson asked me if God was giving out Valentines. He said “Could God just drop them out from the sky?” I started thinking about that and as he looked at me, I couldn’t help but feel the power of the Holy Spirit. I told him that “you are God’s Valentine Jackson, and how you live your life is love.” So then Jackson says, “When we give our Valentine away, then we really give God away, right dad?”

So I was blown away. We talked a little more about it and the more we talked the deeper we went. When we give somebody a Valentines Day card they feel good and feel the love. So when we give ourselves away, we are giving God away and people begin to feel God’s love. That’s pretty cool.

So have a sweet Valentine’s Day and Give some love away.

Speak On It!

Friday, February 6, 2009

Most Recent Headline....

Okay, I'm trying to get consistent...

I didn’t want to do it this week, and I tried really hard to stay away from it, but I can’t help but comment on the most famous Olympian of our era, and superstar Michael Phelps. If you haven’t heard I just bring you up to speed…
Phelps was at a party, somebody took a picture of him smoking marijuana and now the media, International Olympic Committee, and tons of households around the world are debating the most recent picture of a fallen hero.
So here’s the thing, I’m not going to bash Phelps, I think he’s got enough of that happening. I’m not going to suggest that it’s okay to smoke weed because of “youthfulness” or because of pressure. Who doesn’t have pressure? So we find ourselves in a peculiar spot.
As I think about this story, I find two responses that have been running over and over in my mind this week. First, “Who hasn’t made a mistake?” I mean, how many stupid things have we done that if people saw them captured on a cell phone and ending up on Facebook somewhere wouldn’t question our integrity or character? We need to be careful when or if we start condemning people. That’s what Jesus was getting at when he called out the Pharisees and others when they caught a woman in adultery. (John 8:1-11) Are you ready to cast the first stone?
The second piece of this that fills my mind rests on the amount of stock we put into other people. I’m not suggesting we can’t love, respect and admire others, but in many ways we make them like a “god” with power that goes beyond the realm of human possibility. Where does Jesus fit into this? Are we pouring ourselves into Jesus as much as we pour into Phelps, Obama or the most recent headline?
In order for us to continue to grow and change, and transform the world, we have to be willing to look to Jesus. He will never fail us. He will never be found online in any questionable photo. He will never leave us. He will never sell us out for another bong hit. He will never ask us for more than he’s already given us.
This Jesus is mighty to save and is ready for us to believe in the one who will never fail us.


Speak On It!

Thursday, January 8, 2009

Trying To Get Back in the Saddle....Starting with John

Over the past couple of days I’ve been reading the Gospel of John. It’s one on the four Gospels and has always been one of my favorites. Within the first chapter things really get moving. In particular one of the sections that caught my attention is in 1:35-42. Basically Jesus is walking and a couple of guys were following him wanting to know where he was staying. Jesus was a rabbi, meaning a teacher, and they wanted to come and stay with him for a while.
What he says next has been sitting with me and it won’t leave my mind. “Come and you will see.” Come and you will see. As they come and see things really begin to move when they actually take him up on it and decide to hang out with Jesus. Once they are with him they realize that he is truly the Messiah, the anointed one of God, who is the very “Word” of God spoken into existence, called to change the world.
It gets better when the change happens. One of the guys who had followed him was Simon, who after meeting Jesus was now going to be called Peter. Peter was now a new person because he came and saw.
Are we calling others to “Come & See.” Come and see the love of God offered throughout our homes and community. Come and see open hands ready to serve. Come and see open hearts ready to love and Come and see open doors for anybody who really wants to come and see.
Have you come? Are you inviting others?

Speak On It!