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 18, 2009
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!
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!
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!
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