Special Superbowl Edition

"Never will I leave you, nor forsake you"  Hebrews 13:5

Wow, tomorrow is Superbowl Sunday and the Steelers are playing!  How cool is that?  Are you excited? Are you wearing black and gold? Did you go out and get some more Steelers gear just for the game?  Can you sleep?  The closer it gets, the more excited you get, right?

Well, it's kind of made me wonder....  What would the world be like if we were just as excited that Jesus is Lord as we are about the Steelers going to the Superbowl?  I mean lets look at it realisticly...

Top Ten Reasons Jesus is Better than the Steelers...
     1.  The Steelers are not God... but Jesus is.
     2.  The Steelers have no idea who YOU are...... but Jesus does.
     3.  The Steelers haven't SACRIFICED anything for YOU.... but Jesus did.
     4.  The Steelers aren't a PERFECT ROLE MODEL for YOU... but Jesus is.
     5.  The Steelers can't promise you ETERNAL LIFE... but Jesus can.
     6.  The Steelers could care less what YOU think... but Jesus does.
     7.  The Steelers aren't there for YOU in your times of need... but Jesus is.
     8.  The Steelers can't HEAL THE SICK... but Jesus can.
     9.  The Steelers have never asked you to put THEM before everything else... but Jesus did.
   10.  The Steelers (some of them at least) realize that God is more important than they are... and so should you.

I didn't go out and buy any new Steelers shirts... Oh, I was tempted.... but then I thought about it... what I already have will do.... I will be out there cheering on my team... I do so love the Steelers... but I am going to direct most of my enthusiasm to serving God.  And anyway, He's a Steelers fan too....
        Dear Lord, thanks for just being you.  Thanks for caring enough about us to send Your Son to take away our faults and sins.  Thanks for being so forgiving.  Thanks for helping us through our problems, even though we bring many of them on ourselves.  Thanks for helping to pave the way for the Steelers to be in the Superbowl.   Thanks for letting this year be a year where the teams don't "hate" each other... but are respectful of each other, in the spirit of good sportsmanship.  Please help to remind us that You are more important than our favorite sports teams.  Please help us to remember that anything that we make more important than You in our lives, takes you out of that top spot that you so deserves.  I know that I do that at times... and I am trying to keep you up front and foremost in my life.... Thanks for being there to help with that....

"Then, when our dying bodies have been transformed into bodies that will never die, this Scripture will be fulfilled: “Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power. But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ."   1 Corinthians 15:54-57
As I was Facebook Stalking today I saw a post from a friend that said that it was just one year today that her father died and went to be with God and her mother.  It reminded me that in exactly one week it will be a year since my own Dad died.   Throughout the past year I have had many ups and downs as I have remembered him.  I have learned many things.   
1.  No matter how good or bad your relationship is with your parent; you will still miss them.    No matter what the relationship was like, there will always be both good and bad memories.  You choose what you want to remember.  As for me, I am choosing to remember the good times.
2.  No matter how much it hurts, the pain will eventually lessen.   I didn't say it would go away, but it WILL eventually lessen.
3.  Life goes on.   It might be different, but it still goes on, and you must too.
4.  We are never alone in our pain.  God is always right there with us, even if we don't see Him.
5.  Our help comes from the Lord.   Even if you feel like you have lost your safety net; you haven't.  Parents can only help and support so much... our real help and support comes from God.   
6.  The hard times make us stronger.   And God uses the hard times to teach us.  Many times we eventually see benefits from working through the hard times.   God sometimes uses the hard times to bring us together and to heal wounds that have gone too long without healing.
7.  Life is short.  Sometimes it feels like it goes on forever, but it wasn't that long ago that we were young and here we are today....
8.  We are here for a reason.  When the Bible says that God "knew the plans He had for us" it implies that God has a plan for our lives.  That would imply that we are here for a specific purpose.   We need to go to Him and seek our purpose.   Ask what He would have us do... and then ask His help in doing it.
9.  It all comes back to number 5.  Our help comes from the Lord.

In The World

"Guide me in your truth and teach me, for You are God my Savior, and my hope is in You all day long." Psalm 25:5
     Have you ever felt like you just weren't strong enough to go out into the world? Have you felt like you just wanted to hang with your friends from Church because they believe what you believe? Yeah, I admit it. Sometimes I do feel like that... It's safe. It's easy. It's comfortable.
      But if we only hung out with our friends from Church and didn't venture out into the real world, then who would we share God with? Who would really ever get the chance to see how God is working in our lives? How would our churches grow? How would anyone who didn't believe ever get the chance to see how God is molding and changing our lives?
      Yeah, I know... sometimes it doesn't really feel like we have changed.... and sometimes we think that we would be poor examples of someone who is giving their life to God, but yet they see it... sometimes I think they see it more clearly than we do... only they don't always know what it is..... We need to be out in the world. We need to be in the world and yet not of it....  
       What does that really mean? I have a rather vague idea of it... I think it means that we must build relationships outside of church. Relationships with people who don't put God first. Relationships where we can build a trust with the other person that will allow them to get to know us. We don't have to push God on them. But we will need to share that we trust God and count on Him to guide and direct our lives. They should be able to see that God is most important to us by how we live our lives.
       We should not be living in a giant conflict of interest... we should live our lives governed by what God wants. It's not a show. We aren't supposed to be out there acting holy or anything, but if we are doing God's will in our lives, we will make honest, noble decisions in our day to day lives. We will seek to do right and not to take shortcuts. We will be faithful friends who treat others with respect and really care for them. This will be noticed by others.
        They will know that "something" is different about you. They will know that you really do care, and that it is not a fake caring like so many others do... God will guide you in how to care for others if you only let Him.
        Dear Lord, please help me to be a light to someone. Please help me to live my life in such a way that others will see You working in my life. That they will see Your love when they see me. Help me to be a true and faithful friend to someone. To truly care. To truly reach out and share You with them. Help me to not hide in the shadows of my church but to go out into the world and to reach out with Your guidance to share Your love and Your word with others. Help me to be a light that they might see You shining brightly inside me.... and please help my friends to do the same. My faith is in You... My hope is in You... and my trust is in You.

A Very Special Gift

"Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel."      Isaiah 7:14

     Thousands of years before the birth of Christ, the prophet Isaiah prophesied about His birth.  How did he know.   That alone should be enough to prove that Jesus was indeed the long awaited Messiah.  

      God prepared the way.  Prepared the way for us to recognize His Son when He arrived on earth.   If only people had listened to God's word and taken heed, they would have known who He was right away.   John the Baptist recognized Him.  Would you recognize Him?   

      I am awed when I think about the birth of Jesus.   Just the fact that God would send His own Son into the world to atone for the bad things that we have done and that we will do.   I know that I have done a lot of bad things.  I know that I will probably continue to do bad things as long as I live.   I will not want to do bad things, but indeed I will still do them.

       I am amazed that God spoke to people even back then and that they listened.  They did what He asked of them.   I know that it must not have been easy for either Mary or Joseph to do as God commanded.   I know that many folks today don't think that having a child before marriage is a bad thing but imagine what it was like back then.... I mean couldn't they like stone you to death for stuff like that?   And then Joseph married her knowing that it was not his son he would be raising.    Imagine the love that they both must have had for that child.   

       I know that I have known what it was to be an unwanted child.  I know the pain that being raised like that could cause.  And I have always believed that those children who find themselves adopted into families are really the most loved children in the world.   Why? Well that is easy... because the parents "chose" to adopt them.  They chose to bring a child into their home and to love that child and raise it as their own.  

       I know that Jesus was not adopted.   But still Mary and Joseph made a conscious decision to bring that child into the world and to raise Him as their own.   Like most adoptive parents they probably wrestled with the decision of when to tell Him the truth about his birthright,  but knowing that God would call Him just as He had called them, they probably told Him quite early.   The love that they must have felt for that child must have been overwhelming.  I wonder if they were aware of the sacrifice that He would one day make for you and me and all of mankind? After all that too was foretold in Isaiah and many other places in the old testament.

       Christmas has always been a very special time for me.   It has never been a "commercial" holiday for me.   It has always been celebrated quietly, behind closed doors.... just reading the story of Jesus' birth and pondering the gift that God gave to all of us on that day that Jesus was born.   I would have to agree that Jesus is indeed the "reason for the season".   

Merry Christmas to everyone  and a very special Birthday to Jesus

God Has Our Back

 "Have not I commanded you? Be strong, vigorous, and very courageous. Be not afraid, neither be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."        Joshua 1:9

        In the office where I work we have a Christmas Tradition.  We give gag gifts to our co-workers.   We search all year for just the right gag gift.  Something that embodies the person and yet makes everyone laugh.  Usually it is in reference to the "absolutely worst" part of your job.... and yes... it usually makes you laugh too.... 

        Well, last year our Grants writer got me good.  He gave me a bin pin that said "2010 already sucks".   It was funny because it was pretty much right on as the beginning of the year is always a nightmare for me as that is when I have to close out the grants.  It is usually a mad dash to spend any remaining funds before the drop dead date.   So for the first few days I wore that pin everywhere... even to church... it was a joke..... it was cute... but it became much too true to remain a joke.   Shortly into the new year my dad died and then it just got worse from there.   Needless to say I took the pin off and have not put it back on...

        During much of the year I have isolated myself from everyone around me.... I have not wanted to bring anyone else down.   I think that for the most part I am still doing that but I have let a few folks back in....  not many though....  But yes it has been a long and lonely year.

      It would be so easy to say that God had abandoned me during times when my life just seemed to stink.... but it would be a lie.   Because, you see... I have not been walking through this alone.   God has never left my side..... Oh, there have been many times where I have not seen His touch in my life.  Many times where I felt alone and abandoned.  There were times where I would not hear Him or feel Him in my life.    But yet He was always there.... waiting for me..... Hindsight is a wonderful thing isn't it?  It's easy to  look back now as I do a "Year In Review" kind of thing on my life - and to see how He was there working in my life and I didn't even see Him.   Yep.  That's it exactly.  

       There are so many places in the bible where God tells us that He will not abandon us.... David speaks of that so many times in the Psalms.... and yet in many other places in the Psalms he is unable to see God working in his life, and He asks God "where are You?".   The pure and simple truth is that God IS always with us.  He NEVER leaves us.   We just sometimes take our eyes and our minds off of Him and forget to look to Him.  

      Maybe sometimes we put blinders on (kind of like putting on sunglasses at night).  The same things are out there.... they are already hard to see because it's dark out, but you have even more trouble seeing them because of the sunglasses.   The sunglasses are kind of like when we get all bummed out because of the circumstances of our lives.   The circumstances are there.  They are not going away (at least not by our power)... but if we take our eyes off of God and look to ourselves or others to fix the circumstances it will never happen.  We just can't do it. God is there.   He may or may not fix the circumstances, but if you wait for Him, and follow the lead that He gives you, He can surely navigate your way around or through the circumstances.

       Dear Lord, thanks for always having my back.  Even when I didn't realize I had a back. Thanks for being with my friends when they need you and can't see you working in their lives.   Thanks for forgiving us when we forget that you are always there.  Dude, You just rock!"

Cheers and Tears....

"But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."  1 Corinthians 15:57


        This is the time of year when we reflect upon everything that we are thankful for.   I guess that is a good thing.   This is also, now and forevermore the beginning of a season of missing those that are no longer with us.  But that should not stop us from being thankful.   
         I am writing this blog on the Monday before Thanksgiving.  You will probably be reading this either the day after or a few days after...    The day after Thanksgiving (Black Friday) will be the day that my mom, sisters, brothers - in - law, nieces, and nephew go to the cemetery to visit my Dad and have our first ever graveside memorial service.   My mom and sister have picked out a few bible verses for us to read, and then we will share a few memories.   I am thinking this will be a very tearful day...Maybe we ought to invest in kleenex.....    Yet even this event makes me thankful.... sad, but overwhelmingly thankful....   
         Did you catch the part about my mom and sister picking out bible verses to read?   Oh yeah! They did!   Amazing.... I didn't think my mom even knew what the inside of a bible looked like....    
        I just thought that it would be nice if I shared with you some of the things that I am thankful for:
         I am thankful that God loved us enough to give up that which was His so that we may be able to call ourselves His Children...
         I am thankful that God has enough love to go around, and enough patience to put up with us at our worst...
         I am thankful that He has saved my life because surely without His presence in my life I would not be here today...
         I am thankful that He takes care of my needs and that even though I still do worry about them at times, I really don't need to...
         I am thankful that God has led me to a Church that has become like a family to me, and that He has used the people there to interact in my life and be living examples of His love and patience and forgiveness.  And that He has used them to help me to grow in Him...
        I am thankful that out of great sadness and loss, came a family brought together like never before...
        I am thankful for friends who are willing to overlook my human failures to get to know the me that Gods trying to mold me into...
        I am thankful to have found my calling to serve God, and to be able to put to use the talents that He has given me to serve Him and give Him honor...
        I am thankful that He has allowed me to see my dream of getting an education fulfilled.  And that hopefully He will use it for His glory...
        I am thankful that I have been able to see God working in the lives of others at times where I could not see Him working in my own life, and that it kept me aware that He is here and working in our lives...
        I am thankful for Chocolate Pudding....
        I am thankful for so much that I could literally go on and on but it would get redundant... 
        Dear Lord, I am so thankful that I can call you Father, and that You think of me as Yours.  I am thankful for all that You have done in my life and in the lives of those I love. I am thankful that You have brought me people whom I can love and care for... And I am thankful for those whom You have used to show me how to love like that.... I am still learning.   I am a slow learner.... but I am also thankful Your patience with me as I keep messing it up time and time again....  Yes, there are sad times.  Yes I have been crying up a storm lately.... You really did make an unlimited amount of tears didn't You?  But at the same time through my pain, You have brought back some really good memories that I had long forgotten.  Painful to remember, yes... but they bring a smile to my heart.... So as I go out there Friday morning to remember.... I will be thankful for those memories... and for the chance to share them with my family.... thanks....


          

The "Do-Over"

"They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved."    Acts 2:42-47

         I heard a song for the first time on the radio the other day.... I don't mean I never heard a song on the radio before, but I had never heard this song before.   It was a new song by J. J. Heller called "Love Me".  You may have heard it.  Anyway I was just dumbfounded because the song said (almost word for word) something that I had said in this very blog only a few weeks ago...."Who will love me for me? Not for what I have done or what I will become. Who will love me for me?"  Wow that song really struck a chord with me... because I have been just having those very same thoughts so much lately. 
         I grew up thinking that love was a conditional thing... if you do what your parents want you to do they might love you.  If you screw up, they stop loving you.... but that is not really love.   God loves us totally unconditionally.  He loves us so much that he gave up His own son, to save our lives.   He loves us so much that He gives us a "do-over" every single day....  How many people do you know who would be willing to give you a "do-over" every day?  Yeah, there is a beer commercial on television that jokes about that.... but it's true.  Only God is willing to be that patient with our mistakes... people aren't. 
         I have been pretty much of a hermit this year.  I haven't gone out with friends much... I have a few good friends.  Really good friends.  Friends who do love me for me... and not for what I've done, or what I will be.... and I have been blessed to have been able to just hang with them.... even sometimes to just sit and watch tv with them.   We sometimes have deep discussions but we don't have to.... It is just awesomely refreshing to just be with them.  And I think that they know how special they are to me, and not because of what they do or will be.  They have become like family for me and I am so very very blessed by them.
         I have other friends whom I care about very very much.  I don't know what it is, but I just really like them.  Not for who they are, or what they have done, or what they will do, but just because I do... I can't explain it...  They know who they are....  These are the folks whom I may have reached out to and called... maybe invited them to have a cup of coffee or a meal or a movie or shop or whatever... just reached out to to try to spend a little time just hanging with them.... I don't ask often, and mostly because it's hard to have people say "not today" or "maybe next week" but next week never comes.... and then you wonder.... do they love you for you or for what you do... or for who you've been.... or for what you will do...
     Anyway enough about that.... the thing is.... God made us for fellowship.   He made us part of communities of people who live for Him.   The book of Acts tells about how God blessed the followers who joined together to praise Him.  To worship Him.  They broke bread together.  They prayed and praised God.   They were like a family.   It really seemed like they saw each other more than just Sundays and Wednesday nights.   And God blessed them greatly.   It's got to make you wonder....
       Dear Lord, thanks for the "Do-Overs".   I really need them.   Realizing that You do that for me has really made a difference for me.   I am very thankful for that.  I am also thankful for Your totally unconditional love.   I am still learning what that means.   It is still so very hard to comprehend... but thanks... and thanks for putting people in my life that love me and that I can love... and please help me to love unconditionally too..... Thanks.....