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