Let me start my saying again here that our students did a great job leading worship today.  I am almost envious of their talent.  The only reason for not being envious is obviously that scripture frowns upon such an emotion.  It very well may be that not everyone understood their language as it is contemporary.  This makes much more sense to me now at my age.  What was current for me at their age is now deeply wedded into our hymnals.  Such an action pretty much seals the fate of a song no longer being modern.  My prayers go with them this week as they attend student camp.  May their week in Ruston be fruitful for all included.  Our youth ministry is in a time of transition as we lose several seniors to college.  We may see new leaders emerge as this week progresses.  This is my great hope. 

I really didn't know many if any of the songs they sang today.  I do know the words and music spoke to my old heart.  Being young really is no option for me no matter how hard I try.  At some point the years just add up too high.  Aging is something we cannot escape unless it is a worse option.  This crossed my mind a few times last summer going through chemo.  My prayer was and still is for more aging.  It really is not all bad to get older.  One hopes you gain some insight or wisdom along the way.  Just remember that doing dumb or sinful things can still crop up as you move through life.  Wisdom means being able to apply what knowledge you gain along the way.  Some lessons are learned the hard way.  Some lessons just come through observation and learning.  My dad tends to send me things here that cannot always be made public.  I don't mind at all.  Today's email opened up to some lessons we adults learn or may need to remember.  None of them seem awful serious until you think about them awhile.  Let me give you a few.

1.  A best friend's job should be to clear your computer history should you die.

2.  How in the world do you fold a fitted sheet?

3.  I take back all the times I refused to take a nap when younger.

4.  Was learning cursive really important?

5.  Bad decisions make great stories.

6.  Sometimes I look at my watch 3 times in a row but still not know what time it is.

7.  The freezer deserves a light just like the refrigerator.

8.  I don't remember the last time I wasn't at least some kind of tired.

Think about these.  You may find more truth than you notice at first.  Being an adult means more than moving toward the last years.  It means thinking as well as learning every day.  Being a believer always includes ongoing maturity as you age.  Some people learn how to grow old.  People who are blessed never stop growing up.

Bro. Trey

I may be many things but an athlete is not one of them.  You can tell true athletes in several ways.  They are the people who make what we try to do look very easy.  It is the guy who can throw a football sixty yards with a flick of the wrist.  It is the girl who makes unreal shots on the basketball court.  It is the one who can hit a baseball over 400 feet with no effort at all.  It is the person who runs with grace and ease around the track.  Those things are not me.  I did try to play sports with some occasional success.  Just know that anytime I did well that it was after lots of practice.  Being a natural athlete is a foreign concept to me.  This is something discovered over the years.

For one thing, my body is not conducive to athletic endeavors.  My legs are fairly short for someone this tall.  Speed is definitely not my thing.  It does not help that my arms are also short for someone my size.  Throwing a ball was fairly easy for me but it was tough to get a lot on those throws.  We can also note any lack of inherited ability.  It always helps to have some genetics involved when it comes to athletic achievement.  I did indeed try throughout the years.  There were rare occasions when things did go well.  I am grateful for those moments.  Not many people ever saw those flashes of brilliance.  Those crowds could usually be counted on less than two hands.  But they did happen long ago so I am happy for that.  Exercise is still a constant for me but now it is more about delaying gravity more than training for a competition.  Everything is slower and more painful but I still try.

You and I may not be able to be who Jesus was but we can do the things that Jesus did.  I know that one may take a few minutes to figure out.  My point is that none of us ever escape that sinful tendency of being human.  Jesus faced temptations but always remained true to the uniqueness of being God's son.  We deal with those same things while growing in our faith.  We may fail but there is another option.  You and I can take up the disciplines of Jesus for our life.  We can spend time in scripture to learn how to move beyond those awful feelings into faith.  You and I can make time for reflection or prayer to hear God talk to us about our life.  Learning how to avoid temptation is one of those things we can do as we grow.  Cultivating healthy relationships will go a long way in giving us the will to be better as a believer.  My thesis is we can develop the same habits of Jesus in living our spiritual life.  We may never be exactly who He was but we can do what He did. 

Being a healthy believer is not just wishing for an easier life.  It includes action that helps us grow.  Sometimes the results may not be pretty.  We may even stumble from time to time.  But we can keep our eyes fixed on the eternal prize of His calling.  It is the path of joy in becoming all God intends for you to be. 

Bro. Trey

It's frustrating to me to run out of ideas.  The last two nights of writing went as well as could be expected.  Perhaps they only sounded good to me but they were also easy to write.  But you probably do not want to hear about my woes of creativity.  Someone once said that the secret to Jesus being so vibrant was in His ability to take time for rest.  It is true that you read of Jesus spending time alone even in the midst of a hectic schedule.  You also may notice He has an affinity for parties or other gatherings.  Jesus knew what it was like to keep His priorities in line.  He talks a great deal about the connection with the Father.  That human aspect of the life of Jesus would deal with the same limits as us.  We seem to keep running on empty rather than knowing when to stop to refuel.  Maybe we should take His approach a bit more seriously.

I know life is constant.  All of us juggle every facet of our being.  We may be parents or spouses.  Some have jobs or even two of them.  Religious life hopefully comes into play in our calendar.  All of this becomes important even before we get to our other roles much less our leisure time.  Experts told us years ago that we would end up having more time on our hands due to technology and such.  They missed that prediction by a long way.  Some people would love just to go back to a forty hour work week.  Factoring in single parents or two income families crunches our time down to nothing.  I'm weary just writing about all of that.  Can you really maintain a healthy spiritual life with someone or something always wanting more of your time?  It can be done.  It must be done.

We may not all have the time for time consuming bible study but we can learn to take a verse or two for reflection.  Learning to listen to God's voice while going about your day can keep you anchored to Him.  No doubt it would be great if we could all take an hour or so to read intently in scripture.  But never forget that taking a passage or a few verses for reflection can also mesh with your schedule.  This process also gives you reason to pray throughout the day.  Elongated prayer sessions may be hard but no prayer is wasted.  Surely there are individuals on your mind or heart that you can make time for as you pray.  Just be sure not to close your eyes to do this while you are driving.  Also remember you can do something kind or good for another person without expecting anything in return.  There is something about these random acts of grace that may lift your heart on even the most depressing of days. 

Life is short.  Do you really want it stolen from you by demands or deadlines rather than discovering God in your midst?  Don't trade the invaluable for the immediate.  Our enemy doesn't need to make you a horrible person if he can just keep you so busy that you run dry.  Try letting God into your equation each day.  Make an effort to keep your mind focused on Him.  He can do far more in the time you allow Him than you can imagine.  Life may become a bit easier if you do.  Even if it doesn't, you can know that you are not alone as you live.

Bro. Trey

My blog last night received such a response that we will do another with a list.  Well, actually the blog got no response but that is normal.  But it did sound pretty great to start off with the line.  Yesterday we put down some of my ideas on being a dad.  They are my thoughts alone.  Tonight we turn to my rules for life.  Both John Wayne and Leroy Jethro Gibbs said that every man needs a code to live by.  Gibbs now has 51 rules in his code.  I am not nearly that far along.  This list is fluid as it may change from time to time.  These are simply my core values on life in general.  Some people hear me say these words or rules on occasion.  They may not work for anyone else but they serve me as a guide. 

1.  Life happens.  You can no more control all of life than you can control the weather.  We had storms today after weeks of dry heat but my efforts other than praying had little to do with it.  The myth that you can control events in your world will leave you most unhappy.  This is why some people just refuse to let God lead them in new directions.  They are terrified of yielding control of what little they have to God.  This does not make life any easier but it will rob you of being flexible to His will.

2.  It is what it is.  Life is not what you want or wish it to be.  It simply is what it is.  This is true at any given moment in your journey.  Wishing my cancer away or wanting it to go away did not make it so.  Living each day in fullness means dealing with where you are in life.  God knows far more than we do about any given moment.  Accept the present conditions while fixing your heart on Him.

3.  People are just people.  They can be a great blessing or a great burden but they will always be human.  You cannot build a healthy life while depending on others to make you happy.  You cannot count on a constant source of esteem to make you feel better.  People as godly as David were still capable of horrible acts of sin.  We do far better finding our wholeness with God and then giving that away to people.

4.  All you can do is all you can do.  This somewhat explains itself.  You have to know how to trust God if you want to grow up.  I did all I could do while dealing with cancer but the final answer would come from Him.  I am grateful that the response was remission.  All you can do in life is the very best possible.  Real value comes from God alone.  Maximize your life but be sure God has the last word.

5.  A win is a win.  What this means is that you should enjoy every small act of success along the way.  We tend to want the really big stuff to happen before we feel good.  Life tends to build on smaller events along the way that conclude in bigger results.  Someone once said that the person who is a Christian in small things is not small Christian. 

6.  Do something kind or gracious for another person without asking or expecting anything in return.  This is a new one on the list.  I am working on this as the days go by.  What I do know is if you try this you may find a strange response.  It seems our world is quickly losing any knowledge of kindness.  Some people may not know how to act at those times.  This only means our society needs more of it from the people of God. 

There you have it.  Just know these rules are in a state of flux.  We may add more as the days go by.  God's people do need to put their faith in concrete.  We should learn the limitations of our life while finding the bigness of God for any moment.  Maybe you can try putting down on paper what you hold dear.  Just don't think it has to be in religious language.  Make it your own.  After all, you can only live the one life given you by God.  It's all that you have to do. 

Bro. Trey

Every so often someone will compliment me for being a good dad.  This is not something said with pride but gratitude.  My hope is that it is true.  Just thinking you do well does not mean that you are.  But it is still good to hear from others.  I would rather be a good dad than a good preacher or minister.  I know that sounds wrong but it is the case for me.  Never overlook the reality of having good kids to make this happen.  Many of the issues that other families face did not happen for me.  This does not make me any better as much as it could be a statement on the quality of my son and daughter.  Thanking God everyday for two great kids does not seem to be enough.  I am no expert at fatherhood but there are a few ideas that shape my thinking.  Let me entertain you with some of these.

1.  Be who you are.  Don't try to be one person as a parent and another as a person.  If just being you isn't good enough then let God change you.  I am indebted to God for lessons learned along the way.

2.  Do the extra or unexpected.  You may have times when just doing your part is not sufficient.  Go the extra mile when the time comes.  Your kids will notice.

3.  Be genuine and honest.  They already know you are not perfect.  So tell them what you learn from failure so they might avoid the same.  You are a human being.  Let them know about grace in your journey.

4.  Stay positive.  If they do nine things wrong but do one right then don't skip over the one.  Children get enough negative ideas in their world.  You can let them know that you believe in them no matter what.

5.  Do what you say.  There are no small promises.  If you cannot come through then just tell them with humility.  Do not let their faces always be ones of disappointment.  You may fail but apologies work two ways.

6.  Depend on God totally.  He is your wisdom when you do not have an answer.  He is your grace when the heart runs dry.  He is your hope when you feel helpless.  He is your strength when you are out of gas.  Never let anything or anyone detract from that relationship with Him. 

Every child is different.  They are all unique and invaluable.  It is our privilege to share their journey.  I know that some may not become all a parent may wish.  But it is also true that parents are not always what God would desire.  None of these ideas are foolproof.  They continue to allow me to accept my kids as they are.  I don't want to make them someone else.  My life is complete if they just be all God wants them to be.  They shape me as much as I may shape them.  That is good enough for me.

Bro. Trey

It was a year ago tomorrow that my journey with chemo began.  At that time my emotions were in an uproar over the unknown.  The next four months would be a constant round of tests and treatment.  My hair would fall away.  My weight went up instead of down.  My life would be measured by when it was time to go to the doctor and for what reason.  No wonder that this Father's Day would be better than in 2010.  Anything had to be better than my last one.  It also helps when the church services go well.  We can thank our music leaders for that.  I am well aware of my limits in public speaking.  At least our worship time was worth the time to be here.  Tonight went good also with everyone singing and participating.  Just know how fortunate we are to have a terrific student ministry.  I can only hope we capture some vision of God's desire for us.

Yesterday was our trip to Dallas to see the musical.  It made no sense whatsoever but that was the point.  My youngest really enjoyed it all.  We did some "discovery driving" around the city.  Our adventure took us downtown along with other unique parts of town.  He loved seeing the tall buildings that are far from our area of Texas.  He sang along with some of the songs he knows.  One of the girls wasn't crazy about the show but it was four to one against her.  Now it will be time to find other outings for he and I to enjoy.  We will find some places close by to go explore.  I do know they will not cost much and they will be indoors during this summer.  He would like to go to the zoo but that's not happening until at least October at this rate.

I do hope that you are praying for rain here.  Watering my small patch of grass is increasingly futile.  But there is more to our need than the condition of my yard.  Many people in our area depend on the rain to grow hay, feed livestock or other important projects.  Summer is typically hot and dry but we are long past the norm.  Forecasters are saying we may get a shot at it this week.  Count me as one who will believe it when he sees it.  It is not that I doubt God.  I just do not trust forecasters.  My prayer for rain will continue until we get it as well as long after it arrives. 

Rain at this point would almost be a miracle.  But isn't being a follower of Jesus all about miracles?  You cannot read the gospels without an understanding that God is always active in the lives of people.  Those first disciples woke up daily not knowing what would happen but anticipating that something remarkable was possible.  We tend to roam through our journey without that sense of wonder.  We allow the miraculous to be cheapened by those who sell their tricks to the masses.  What we see Jesus doing goes light years beyond contemporary traveling miracle shows.  We tend to tolerate the routine of our life because its comfortable.  Where is that edge of your seat experience those first followers of Jesus felt?  Let's hope and pray for rain.  But also remember to look for God to be in the present tense in your world.  Don't live by what you fear the least but let God shape what you want the most.

Bro. Trey

Tomorrow is another day for me to be a dad.  I am driving my son, daughter and two of her friends to Dallas to see the play Spamalot.  No one is more excited than my son.  We showered and shaved tonight to prepare for the big day.  Shaving a moving child is an exercise in patience.  We went last year to see the play Wicked just before chemo began for me.  This year will be much happier without my port reminding me of the days ahead.  My job is to drive so we can all go.  My youngest is going to be up and ready to go early in the morning.  Odds are good that more memories will be made along the way.  Let's just hope one of those is not him saying or doing something outlandish.  He did well last year until near the end of the musical.  I was glad that everyone laughed with him at that moment.  Being a dad is one of my most important jobs.  It may just be number one in whatever I do.

My dad went through a rough week.  He lives in Minnesota and they are trying to sell their home then decide what is next.  You would have to know my father to understand that only he can fall out of a tree yet live to tell about it.  My relationship with him is not a history of warm nor fuzzy feelings.  But just know the last few years are far better than the early ones.  I realized that my contribution to some of this does matter.  Being on opposite ends of the personality spectrum is never any help to any connection.  Rather than just finding fault it seemed better to just go with the flow.  He is who he is.  He is about the best doctor I ever observed.  This is not true because he is my dad but just is the truth.  I never ceased to be amazed at his cases or how he solved the puzzles of diagnosis.  Realize that this gift does not make him a perfect human being.  Sometimes it saves lots of energy to accept someone as they are rather than how we wish them to be.  I cannot change the past but all of us can be accepting of the realities of another person.

Some of his strengths and weaknesses went into my approach to being a dad.  You should know my daughter was born when I was already 32 years old.  It seemed like some parents looked at me as her grandfather even when going into primary school.  Leave it to say we had much difficulty becoming parents.  This also played a role in my approach.  Being a little older as well as dealing with those obstacles made me determined to soak up as much as possible.  I know there are still failures but my hope is I did what I could do always.  Having a child who is special needs also is a factor.  You really cannot fathom the amount of time required for a child like this unless you have one yourself.  This is not to say I am more special because of it but it does change much of fatherhood.  My daughter going to college will alter my schedule along with other things.  I don't know what all it will do until the time arrives.

We celebrate Father's Day on Sunday.  Some people in attendance will be grieving over past losses.  Some have dads who were not good much less great.  There will even be some who experience what it means to have fathers who are a benefit not a detriment.  We will pray for those who are hurting.  We will celebrate those who match the requirements of being good.  Being a good dad takes intentional effort.  It calls for elements of sacrifice, courage and the like.  You need a connection to God in order to give to your children what may be beyond you.  Dad's matter.  Our society suffers because we have a crisis of fatherhood.  Kids end up trying to fill the void of a father's heart in ways that are self destructive.  We can and should pray for better father's in our world.  Even if a dad isn't perfect you can always find a way to learn from it.  It can be done.  Let's just try to do it. 

Bro. Trey

When you run out of comments on sports then you can always turn to weather.  Texas has two seasons that are the opposite of Minnesota.  We do summer then road repair.  They do winter and road repair.  Living in Texas is not for the faint hearted.  You can say the same for much of the south.  Heat begins creeping up in May with no intention of leaving until October.  The issue is not if the weather will be hot but how hot it will get.  Even a cooler summer in Texas is still serious heat for most people.  These last few weeks are no exception to the rule.  Once we got hot it just stayed around to blister everything in sight.  Let me suggest that watching the weather on any news broadcast is a waste of time.  It is also one good way to get depressed.  I avoid summer forecasts just because there will be no change.  Anything after 90 degrees is hot regardless of what they say.  But it does appear that the summer of 2011 is going to be one to remember.

Rain disappeared a few months ago here.  We never even received our normal rain during the winter or spring.  Drought is a good word for the current conditions.  Even my Bahia grass is waving the white flag to the sun.  Things are getting very serious for many people who depend on the usual amount of precipitation.  No longer is it about keeping the grass in the yard green.  Now we are watching levels in lakes and other sources of water.  It is still amazing how our northern friends deal with floods while we are blowing away.  Someone asked me if my watering the grass is to make it grow.  Truth is that my goal is to simply settle the dust.  Our usual green landscape in my part of Texas is increasingly barren.  Perhaps what makes it extra difficult is knowing we can do nothing about this problem.

Could it be that this cruel weather is part of some aspect of judgement?  We know that the Old Testament discusses drought as a mark of God trying to get our attention.  We talked about this a few weeks ago here on the blog.  My opinion still stands now.  I cannot tell you for sure yes or no to the question.  What is clear is our response tells us much on our view of Him.  Some people are going to blame God for this drought.  Their words and actions tell you they have a very low regard for Him.  It is just another reason to distance themselves from His grace.  Others will recognize the reality of being helpless to alter nature.  These are people you will find that know only God can be a realistic hope.  It does call us to reflection as to why this happens and what we are to do.  I am not aware of any human being who can make it rain.  Either our God does something or we are in for even more desperate times.

Our best hope for summer is to get some hurricanes to head our way.  That usually doesn't happen for a few more weeks.  Even a slow moving tropical depression would do us some good.  I do not ever claim to know the mind of God.  I do think that He has reasons for the recent weather even if unknown to me.  We can use times like this to reflect as God invites people to do in the Old Testament.  We can pray for divine mercy even in nature.  Humility tends to grow once you realize you just cannot do a thing to change the law of nature.  Man is helpless in the face of more than imagined.  Weather serves as a reminder of our limits.  Pride is a wasted trait when dealing with the heat.  Let us honestly pray for rain.  Let us humbly rediscover our limits as human beings.  Let us truly seek God's direction regardless of the response.  We may not change the temperatures but we can let Him change us. 

Bro. Trey

Let us return once more to the idea of being a champion. Any time that you win at anything is fairly exciting. This was true as early as third grade summer baseball for me. My first time of being a champion was pretty exciting. Our team won our league that year. I was lucky to play for a few more teams that finished at the top of the standings through the years. Being on a winning team tends to be more fun than one that constantly loses. Trust me on this one. My favorite team didn't win a title but we won a lot more games than anyone thought we would. But there is still nothing like knowing you are number one. Even my small part of working with two state champions in football was amazing even in my 40s. It is a pride that grows out of humility. You know how much effort winning requires so you try to preserve the moment.


So let us think once more about this concept of a winning congregation. We said that reaching this point is never easy. Every team that wins it all perseveres through tough times. You will never read of any team that never faces adversity. You will never find an athlete in an individual sport who does not push through obstacles along the way. Sometimes it happens in the discipline of training. It may take place in the actual contest. Grinding through an entire season is tough. The church exists in this contest between God's nature and real evil. We should not expect our efforts to be without adversity. What really stinks is when those obstacles are self-inflicted rather than coming from our obedience. Far too often our trouble resides in our still human nature beyond God's presence. How can we possibly change the world if we do not allow God to craft us into new creations?

The very first church faced more than a few issues along the way. What is important is how those troubles grew out of their mission not their carnality. Opposition was common for these people as they carried out God's word. Leaders were constantly adjusting their heart and mind to new direction. Some even dealt with significant loss while pursuing God's vision. They discover that no problem or adversity is ever bigger than God. Don't think this made suffering any less physical. Just note how the idea of joy repeats itself in the ministry of the day. Paul even is able to write to the Phillipian church about his joy even while chained in prison. Our only prisons today are of our own making. We even hold the keys to release our lives from bitterness, hurts and other stuff that crowds out joy. Perhaps we are just gluttons for self-punishment?

Adversity comes to us in life regardless of who we are. It seems to be in the contract of just being a human being. Believers know this as well as the means of being whole despite of it. Jesus models for us how we do not escape problems. He knows full well just how much they can hurt. But we can learn from Him with the promise of His help through it. Adversity is another word for opportunity when we allow God to be involved in life. If we are to be a winning church then we must face up to this reality with courage and humility. Nothing feels so good as not allowing those problems to have the last word. You win this battle and you wind up gaining more than you thought you could lose.

Bro. Trey

Much of the emphasis today in the world of sports focuses still on the Dallas Mavericks winning last night.  It was the lead on every sports related program all through the day.  There was an occasion early in their history when a playoff game could not be played in their home arena.  The game was moved to a college campus with much less seating.  Years later this same group that could not find a home sits on top of the professional basketball world.  Writers are discussing how a team with only one real star could defeat another that plays with three of the best in the league.  You will read about the teamwork of the Mavericks should you be interested.  Most agree that the better team won.

Scripture talks about teamwork in its own language.  We refer to it as the body of Christ.  No congregation can reach beyond its grasp of the concept.  We sadly tend to lean on a select few to run a church.  People are usually chosen according to the bank account or some other earthly measure.  One of my friends from years ago referred to them as "bell cows."  He meant that a group would end up deciding what a church would do in terms of how it affected them.  We also are facing a crisis as some ministers are under the assumption that they have all of the answers.  People exist to carry out their directions.  Far too many of our more conservative churches are dealing with this.  Don't get me wrong.  My hope is that the pastor has good ideas for his congregation.  In a perfect world you find cooperation flourishing as the minister leads.  Just know this is not always the case.  God surely intended a better way for us to operate.

His plan is for all of us to be in a healthy relationship with Him.  We learn what our gifts are then begin to exercise them in the world.  It's that last part that matters.  Doing genuine ministry is not just something you do in the church walls.  God's gifts are for extending into the life around you.  No one can do this beyond their degree of maturity.  Most of the issues that factor into church health are inward.  Too much time is spent on discussing the management of the congregation.  Far too much time gets wasted trying to work through bad situations.  What people do not fully realize is the damage done when a church is unhealthy.  I honestly do not think that God will trust that place with new people.  Teamwork means all of our spiritual life revolves around one person.  Obviously that person is God.

Be sure that God can do greatness through any people who look to Him for guidance.  Just also know that unhealthy congregations can look very ugly.  Picking and choosing our friends has no place with a church that looks beyond itself.  Criticism must give way to encouragement.  Being a championship team is not easy.  Adversity is a great temptation to point fingers at one another.  Great teams pull together rather than tear apart.  None of this is easy.  You will have to resist every human tendency to be destructive.  Being part of what God is doing means doing it in His way.  It's something you have to do one day at a time.  But it is also something that lasts for eternity. 

Bro. Trey

I started with lots of good ideas for writing today.  Then the Dallas Mavericks went and won the NBA championship this evening.  It is the first professional title for the Dallas area since the hockey team won the Stanley Cup.  Basketball is not really my thing.  Not being able to jump or shoot were always held against me while growing up.  Turns out that these are important skills for a player.  But if there is any team that matters to me then it is the Mavericks.  I still remember the very early years when they were not very good.  Then the team began to make the playoffs with limited success.  Lately, the team is usually pretty good but never could make the final step.  Tonight the Mavs won their first championship after thirty years or so of trying.  My mind's eye can already see the merchandise on the store racks tomorrow.

Winning a championship is not easy no matter the sport.  My current town was fortunate to earn two consecutive state titles a few years ago.  Accomplishments like this come at the end of a very long road.  You need the right pieces in place along with a little luck.  We can say much the same thing about being a good church.  One would think that every congregation would be healthy since we are in the God business.  You know full well this just isn't so.  Just wanting to be a dynamic church is not enough.  Ask the average church member and you would find most saying they want to be alive or thriving.  Wanting something is not the same as doing what is needed for it to happen.  Even praying for this may not get a church where it wants to go.  Being a champion is the byproduct of doing the right things.  I say the same is true for the average congregation. 

Great coaches may not always come home with the trophy.  Even the best can fall short.  But just know that the ones we remember the most are the ones who put their players in position to win.  Strategy sometimes is second place to knowing your team.  Surely the people of God would listen to the One who makes this happen?  You know as well as I that even believers don't always listen or do as taught.  We can know full well what scripture says without building it into our daily lives.  We can quote the Bible without allowing it to produce real change in the heart.  What made the first church explode was this ability to simply carry out the directions of their divine leader.  They did not have all the bells and whistles we possess but they were obedient.  Pointing fingers at everyone else is far easier than being serious about God's will.  Churches move past the status quo when they follow God in ways large and small.

More could be said but time is the enemy tonight.  I do believe there is a divine process to this idea of being a championship congregation.  Nothing is more amazing than a church that is discovering this truth.  Few things are more depressing than a church talking about everything under the sun except for what counts for eternity.  Too many ministers spend too much time dealing with the sinful tendencies of too many people.  Behavior such as this is self defeating before you begin the contest.  Let's just end by saying congratulations to the Mavericks.  Maybe we will follow up on some of this during the week.  Some of the stuff may be familiar to you from past blog posts.  Perhaps we can uncover some new information to remind us of the people God intends for us to be. 

Bro. Trey

Morning is not my friend.  We never got close over the years.  This doesn't mean that I can't wake up but that it is not on my list of favorite things.  Evenings are usually good for me.  I would love to tell you why this is but the reason escapes me even after all of these years.  My dad usually was the one to get me moving when growing up.  He would repeat a saying from his army years to encourage me.  He would tell me that everyday is a holiday and tomorrow is Saturday.  That sounds good but he said it on days other than Friday.  It loses some zip on Tuesday mornings.  Maybe the message is that each day matters.  Maybe it means that you can never tell what can take place even in difficulty.  Just because it may be Saturday is no protection against bad stuff.  You have to learn to see each day as a gift. 

I use that saying when talking about how Jesus turns water into wine at a wedding.  My point is that the presence of the divine makes anything possible.  No obstacle is so great that our God cannot overcome it.  Yet we tend to live in the sameness of life even when we profess to follow Him.  One lesson learned while traveling with a class of special needs kids is that anything may take place while with them.  You know they are going to be different so you learn to look and listen for those moments.  Jesus is a little bit like that.  He does not always reveal to us what may happen.  God just shows up when invited to be part of the journey.  Just be sure that He isn't here to just do tricks or magic to impress others.  God's action will change your life along with the lives of others.

Obedience is the hard part of making each day as creative as can be.  You may discover that doing what God says can be as arduous as the conditions of the moment.  Jesus gives some very peculiar directions to the waiters at this wedding.  He tells them to fill waterpots with water without giving any glimpse into what the plan may involve.  Without this action there is no miracle.  Miracles call for a degree of risk to take God at His word.  They also include the willingness to let God be God.  We often begin by telling Him how we want our life to be fixed.  You may find that the point of the activity of God is far past just patching our world.  His desire is to transform us along with the situation.

Everyday is a holiday when Jesus is active in the present tense.  Prayer becomes the vehicle for greatness as we take our requests to God.  We learn how to listen to divine guidance when He seeks to do a new thing in our world.  Being a disciple means that each day is wide open for spontaneous grace.  God acts to let others know His reality.  Our tendency is to just do the best we can so our opinion of self grows larger.  Jesus reminds us that all is in comparison to what He can do.  Tomorrow really is Saturday.  The presence or activity of Jesus will determine if it is also a cause to celebrate. 

Bro. Trey

Life should return to as normal as it gets around here.  But it is summer so who knows what normal may or may not mean.  One good thing about the hectic schedule is that time does fly when having fun.  Even if my so called vacation this summer revolves around dad stuff it will still be worth it.  Last week was the class trip to San Antonio.  Today was coming home following freshman orientation with my daughter.  We spent two glorious nights in Waco.  Well, we spent two nights in Waco.  But all was a success as she is ready to go when August comes around.  It is a good thing to still be a dad even if my daughter is about to go away to college.  I am grateful for the time together.

Baylor is an old school filled with many traditions.  Its heritage is Baptist though some of that is changing over the last few years.  Anxiety was my prevalent mood as we began the process of learning the ropes.  Some of my contact with Baylor people in the past was not always pleasant.  Let me confess to having a bit of prejudice in the matter.  Some of my contact with individuals from the school left me feeling less than impressed.  One thing I do not want for my daughter is for her to come away with an air of superiority because she earns a degree there.  Let me report that the people I met are members of the human race.  We delighted in meeting new friends during our 48 hours on campus.  Even the college deans, professors and other staff went out of their way to be gracious.  It was only last Friday that my girl was queen of all she could see as Valedictorian.  She went all the way back to being a lowly freshman while we were there.  It was food for me to meet her new friends as she starts another journey. 

Wednesday was one long session after the other.  Yes, we made all that we could that day.  This is the day when one person after the other gives you information into the college experience.  I can say it was much better material than my orientation back in the 20th century.  Today was the official signing up for classes and related matters.  We were still wiped out from the first day but survived to tell about it.  We saw her next residence.  We took care of financial matters.  We even went to lunch with two of her new friends and family.  There is a restaurant in Waco where her great grandparents photo hangs on a wall.  It was fun showing her the photo of years gone by.  Our trip home was long especially being tired.  But it seems like we had a good two days together.

This post could go many different directions now.  Let's just say that change happens for many reasons but be sure that it does take place.  Nobody really likes the process but that dislike will not halt the process.  If change comes from outside forces such as moving to college then the best suggestion seems to be go with God on the trip.  You cannot control everything that occurs but you can keep yourself in a right position with Him.  That isn't a bad thing to do.  You may find the road becomes smoother when you fight less against the new reality and become the person He wants you to be.

Bro. Trey

May turned out to be a wild month around here.  It began with the death of a school classmate early in the month.  I made several trips to my hometown for visiting friends during that week.  We follow that with end of school activities.  There was a prom for my youngest.  My daughter stayed busy prepping for graduation.  I turned half a hundred late in May.  Last week was a trip to San Antonio with my son's class followed by the actual graduation.  Tomorrow is a trip to Waco for a few days of freshman orientation for my daughter.  I may take a breath now after reading all of that.  This is not complaining but just how it goes.  Today was the rare day that involved no strenuous activity.  It almost seemed foreign to me. 

Let me talk about San Antonio for a bit this evening.  We had a great time seeing all of the sights.  There were about eight special needs kids along for the adventure.  Each one has a different degree of disability.  We were quite the sight as we traveled around.  I loved sharing the time with my son.  He was long past excited to make the trip.  It was all he talked about for months.  How could you not look forward to such an occasion?  You may remember that I drove my car since my services would be needed back at the house before the graduation.  But be sure my presence was on the school bus for the Tuesday itinerary.  We roamed all over the theme park for a few hours.  It turned out very hot after awhile but it was still great.  Smiles were in abundance on the kid's faces as we rode every ride.  This dad could not help but join in the smiling while observing the fun.  We made it downtown later to the Alamo.  Maybe the kids did not understand everything but they do know it is a special place in Texas.  We did some other sight seeing for a time before returning to the room.  My child fell asleep very fast after the busyness of the day.  We drove home on Thursday still tired but still enjoying the memories.  These are the times that I hope always remain locked in my brain. 

People tend to stare when you are wandering around with a group of special needs children.  I am very accustomed to being out and about with mine.  We go to town to just get out regularly.  Some people still notice his odd behavior but not me.  He is just the way he is.  But when you add about seven other kids then it becomes interesting.  They were all the same at the park.  It is designed for people with disabilities.  There it was a place with common qualities for the kids.  We all shared that trait of being different either as a parent or a student.  But you still notice others who take the view that these children are just too different for normal life.  Times like that still irritate me.  One thing I do know is that everyone is weird in some form or fashion.  One out of one human beings is imperfect.  Be sure that this is due to sin either directly or indirectly.  No one can begin to claim perfection no matter how hard you try.  My odd qualities are just as important in my life as the issues these students face physically or mentally.  But it is also true we have the promise of a better day.  My son is among the major blessings in my life just the way he is.  God promises a day when we all will bear His image in ways beyond imagination.  I cannot conceive of how all of that will work.  Just be sure that all of our blemishes will undergo a great transformation.  We need it now.  We can be sure of it then.

Bro. Trey

You will read here often about how ideas can be hard to come by for writing.  Such is not really the case this evening.  However, you should be warned that tonight will talk about graduation.  This may not excite you nearly as much as it does me.  Just also know that there is no way for me to convey all of the emotions of this past week.  My best efforts will fall sadly short.  You cannot watch your oldest child walk across that stage without being caught in a wild mix of emotions.  That is just my opinion but it rings true for me.  Having a daughter be valedictorian is fairly amazing in itself.  Such an achievement was never a requirement from me.  I am just humble yet very proud of her honor. 

A dad realizes just how hard the day will be when watching the senior slide show.  You see all of the photos of kids you know as they grow through the years.  Other parents around you experience the same tug at the heart as you.  I was fortunate to know many in her class through the years.  Some played on various teams when I was coaching.  Some come through the house for one reason or the other.  Some just cross paths as you move along in the journey.  Each one means something to you.  They are more than names on a program or in a slide show.  Every name carries a story that defines their life.  All of them have a future and a hope under God that can be theirs for the taking. 

Family comes and goes as the hours move along.  We were fortunate that so many made the trip to share the occasion.  You normally deal with one side of the family or the other.  Graduation is a day for mixing of all sides of family.  Friends also stopped by at one time or the other.  It is a great time to enjoy all of the togetherness in a celebration.  Hugs and even tears continue to be shared during this time.  There is an element of this being bittersweet.  Odds are good that such a gathering will be seldom and few over time.  You find there are moments when fatigue catches up with you so you are ready for it to end.  But you also want to soak in every relationship.  You do want to save time in a bottle no matter how impossible it is.

I could not ask for better from this experience.  You hear God talk to you as you prepare and as you go through the process.  My one hope remains that I did everything possible to be a dad.  You get out of it exactly what you put into it.  Doing this without divine aid is not even a consideration.  You can only be a good parent if you are willing to grow as a person.  You cannot truly mature without God's presence.  It is surely impossible to help a child grow if you cannot do the same.  Graduation is over.  Life continues.  Not everyday will be quite as eventful.  But each day will still matter.

Bro. Trey

Let me sneak in a quick report on the trip to San Antonio.  I drove behind the school bus as we made our way south.  The rest of the group did more stuff today but my son and I came home early.  Tomorrow is graduation so he was ready to get back to see his sister.  I needed to return early to help with preparation.  Maybe it was a better idea to come back later as we stayed busy cleaning.  It was still a great trip even with the time crunch.  A good time seemed to be had by all.  My journey was a blast.

We did stop to see our state capitol on the way down.  The last session just ended so we were able to walk around much more than usual.  We stepped inside both chambers of the legislature which was fun.  Most of the kids were mesmerized by the rotunda with the high ceiling.  Austin is a great city with a better downtown area.  Finding places to park meant seeing much of the surrounding area.  Everyone was very patient and helpful with a class of special needs students.  I actually spoke in the Senate following my junior year of high school.  Several of us went to a large gathering to learn about state politics.  I ran for state senator and won in my group.  Now you know just how long my interest in politics remains to this day.

San Antonio is hot.  We were lucky to arrive just as our first summer heatwave kicked into high gear.  But the theme park is really something to take in for any group.  Every ride is built with wheelchairs and such in mind.  My youngest got a kick out of driving the cars which run on rails.  Train rides were very popular as the heat grew more intense.  I even caught a large fish in the pond.  We will save that story for another day.  Our next stop was the Alamo.  One of my new goals of summer is to find some history books on that event.  My son was somewhat interested in seeing the old building.  He was more intent on finding supper.  A river ride was our last undertaking of yesterday.  He again enjoyed being on the water seeing the sights.  He was one tired but happy kid.

He is autistic.  Others in our group share varied disabilities.  They are different from what we think of as normal.  But just be sure they are God's children.  We will take this topic up more soon.  Just know that even Texas heat did not stop this outing of being a slice of heaven.  This dad is very grateful to be along for the ride. 

Bro. Trey