No day is typical when you are the parent of an autistic child.  Some days go better than others but each day is a gift.  I say this because this is one of those days.  My youngest was going about his business at school until he got a nose bleed.  That isn't the usual issues as most of his troubles come in winter when it is dry.  His teacher called me following that lunch crisis to let me know what happened.  It was his idea to call dad which is a highlight in itself.  Then he actually carried on a conversation with me on the phone.  Most times the most you get out of him during a call are a few grunts.  He is just too busy to take the time for small talk.  He liked the idea that I would get him a few minutes early from school.  My guess is he knows dad will always rescue him.  Then he said, "I love you too."  Major calamity would have to break out after that for me to have a bad day.  No great crisis ensued.


Today he told me that I am a normal adult.  His reference was to my birthday two days ago.  Almost no one ever calls me normal so that was a pleasant surprise.  Maybe that is who I am.  He knows that I am dad so he never worries about me being there for him.  What he will not ever comprehend are the other occasions when his dad comes to his defense.  Some people can say truly ugly things about him.  Sometimes they are innocent comments made out of ignorance.  Other times they are just mean.  It would be good to tell you that being a follower of Jesus lets me remain calm and rational during such a scene.  Perhaps my being honest means letting you know that it unleashes a parental rage within me.  I am so far free from violence though that boundary was tested a few times.  God was gracious to settle the mind and heart before regretful actions took place.  I may be fair game to the critics or those just negative people who inhabit our world.  My children are always off limits.


This is not just about me or my children.  We are in the midst of a society that does not know what to do with those people out of the norm.  Every single day there are innocent children who suffer violence of differing fashion.  There are times when he and I are out that people will give an appreciative nod or glance our direction.  It is obvious some look at us as if we don't need to be out in a world where image counts more than character.  God uses both him and each occasion to teach me something.  How different our world would be if we could share the innocence or trust of my son?  We want to play games or work our power trips in the illusion that achievement gets us somewhere others don't wish to go.  Maybe this is why Jesus seems so comfortable with the young around Him.  Could it be that His heart was even more tender when a child needed a miracle?  Show me how you treat the different among us and I will tell you about your heart.  


Tomorrow will be another new adventure around the house.  My life will be stretched by being his parent.  Surely that is a great enough blessing from God.


Bro. Trey

I think Memorial Day is one of those significant holidays we overlook far too much.  This isn't just about church attendance but about the whole reality of what it means.  I cannot begrudge those who get out for recreation of the weekend.  Part of me would like to do just that but I won't.  Maybe aging brings out the meaning of the day.  Perhaps some of this is due to a greater appreciation for our history as a country.  We miss a huge portion of our heritage when we just see this as an occasion for a long weekend.  Summer gets underway with this weekend.  That gets more of the attention than the actual reason for the observance.


Four years ago my Memorial Day weekend was spent in Washington D.C.  That really set my mind toward taking time to reflect.  You cannot spend that time roaming about the various memorials without having a change in attitude.  A person would just have to be completely cut off from any reality to not sense a shift in mind or heart.  Our high school band played at the World War 2 site one day.  You are surrounded by flags and other reminders of how many gave their lives for our country.  We also viewed the other areas dedicated to wars of our past.  My personal history is with the Vietnam conflict.  Those old news films are etched in my memory.  We are still recovering from that awful history.  Just passing by the wall of the fallen in Vietnam is enough for anyone to stop and think.   I also spent time in the Smithsonian Museum watching those old news reels one afternoon.  Every single American should spend time wandering around those memorials to keep that sense of perspective.  


We also traveled through Arlington Cemetery.  Row upon row of our fallen soldiers take up the view from any area of the grounds.  Markers are set up for those who were famous to names that perhaps only a few know.  I stood for awhile watching the guard change at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.  To see it in person is beyond amazing.  No one says a word while this happens.  Reverence is another word to refer to the atmosphere in those moments.  You realize that piece of our planet is a remarkable and solemn place.  There is no way for me to describe that scene to do it justice.  Those are all moments that will remain lodged in my mind forever.


Memorial Day matters.  It isn't just about being out on the lake but it involves our very freedoms.  That may sound old fashioned to be sure but it is still true.    May we just take a moment and be grateful for those who gave all.


Bro. Trey

Yesterday was my day to check on a few of our folks.  There are a few who are on a regular cycle of me stopping in to visit with them.  My drive took me out to visit with three gentleman in various levels of poor health.  No one can ever make contact with them as much as you wish.  No doubt my efforts fall short but they still get my attention whenever possible.  One reason for my stopping by is to collect more of them to plant in my life.  People matter.  They matter more than anything else we do as a congregation.  God cares greatly about them so we just follow His lead.


One writer once said his vocation was collecting people.  He did write wonderful articles on high profile individuals but his view was more than that.  Part of his perspective is he collected their stories.  Doing this meant he also acquired people along the way.  Those subjects were more than a means to an end but were important to him.  This is a writer saying that.  Shouldn't people then be even more valued to those of us who follow Jesus?  He went about those days of ministry doing much the same thing.  Watch how Jesus interacts with even the outcast to raise their life to new levels.  Even during His last few breaths we notice Jesus taking in a fellow member in crucifixion.  His vision never wavered about the eternal value of people.


I could tell tons of stories of people who crossed my path over the years.  Some might even have names a few might recognize.  Others would be those part of my personal journey.  There are men and women who contribute to my ongoing process of becoming.  Acts of kindness are always remembered no matter how small they seem.  Some taught me about ministry in how they went about their duties.  Others gave lessons on just being human by the people they were.  There are indeed a few who teach you by not being people you wish to be.  Knowing how to learn from them is also crucial.    Part of the struggle is not letting them define you since they may not even begin to care.  Just be sure people will always be a large part of the equation of being a fully developed follower of Jesus.


Nothing can ever replace relationships.  God uses them in ways large and small.  Try going for a few days staying open to those who cross your path.  Some may be regular visitors to your world. Others may be pleasant surprises.  Collect people as God sends them while you expand your life to new horizons.  It can happen.


Bro. Trey

Today was fun.  Maybe it won't sound for some but it was for me.  Summer is usually a time for a season long series of studies.  Sometimes that covers a single book in the Bible.  Those can be enjoyable with a set source for study.  We did that a few times during my stay here.  Other times we aim for topics with a common thread.  Those are also a place to stretch your wings during the summer.  Most of my efforts went decent at the least.  There was one summer where it just fell flat for whatever reason.  You can only blame me when that happens.  I probably made it worse by trying to make it work when it just never came together.  My point is today was the day for making plans for summer messages.  It can be daunting but it is also a fascinating process.


You need two things to make this work.  The first item you need is a calendar.  It always helps to count up the number of studies you may need.  This year we begin with the upcoming weekend.  I know it is a holiday but we can hope for the best.  Students begin their activities in early August which can make a difference in attendance and such.  You also have a few other special days that can affect your study.  So you keep your Day Timer handy while thinking through the potential plan.  You also will need a Bible.  I know that is obvious but it does help.  Included in this will be another big book that refers to all of the scripture.  You can find any word to follow it from start to finish.  Such a tool helps when you are thinking of a single topic for the summer studies.  I can have all sorts of fun with those things.


I sat down a few weeks ago to begin the thought process about the summer.  Praying is clearly part of my thinking.  You want to sift through past studies along with current needs to find some direction.  My usual approach is to record somewhere what messages are delivered and when.  That history goes back a few years now.  Some ideas are laid aside for various reasons.  Other thoughts come to mind over time.  Today was spent sifting through all of this information to find a divine direction for the summer.  You really do not want to either have too much or too little to cover over those few weeks.  My hope is to get it just right for whoever may show up on any given Sunday.  Now there is a plan in place to get through these next weeks.  My topic is generic but with many layers to discuss.  I truly do believe that God desires my words to be about faith this summer.  Maybe we can learn both what it is and what it is not.


One of my pet peeves has to do with our usual approach to faith.  We talk about having faith when the moment suits us.  We also are quick to talk about reality or rules when we do not see a way to express our trust in God.  Consistency is one thing we do irregularly.  What is real faith?  Why do we not live in that belief?  How can we be better at trusting God in all situations? Who is really at the heart of our faith?  These and many other questions will be dealt with as the temperatures rise.  We will cover stories or scriptures in both halves of our Bible.  Our initial study will come from one of the oldest events of human history.  Things like this get me a bit enthusiastic.  Just count it as yet another of my odd traits.  Now let's find out where this journey will take us.


Bro. Trey

Some things are common among Baptist churches.  We tend to enjoy the occasional preacher who yells at us for whatever reason.  Gospel quartet music still makes us tap our toes since that is all we are allowed to do.  An offering will usually be taken at any service of any type.  But the best thing is the potluck meal served after a church service.  We had one of those today.  This is when you get all of the tables lined up to hold food of all kinds.  You also need a separate table just for the desserts.  Our church went above and beyond the call of duty today.  My plate ended up with lots of vegetables that looked pretty fresh out of some garden.  Eating is sometimes hard for me after a service.  My stomach has not quite calmed down after leading a service.  Today was one of those times when there was no trouble at all with my diet.  I would weigh about 300 pounds if my appetite matched all of the food that looked good.  Some people wonder why my preference is to limit myself.  I just want to enjoy it but still be able to fit into my clothes.


Our attendance was unusually good today.  My guess is a few people came in their last appearance prior to the summer months.  That used to bother me greatly in my younger years but now it is just what it is.  My only irritation is using the summer months as an excuse not to go to church even when you are home.  But my point is that we had many more people than usual remain for the meal.  I am just glad there was food left for me when it was my turn.  You learn how to walk along the line and graze after awhile.  That is one way to be sure you get to taste some of everything.  You also can let people think you didn't overeat along the way.  It was even hard to find a place to sit to enjoy my meal.  One of my favorite people made that easier for me.


There is a little blonde headed girl who gets my attention when she is here.  She may be about four or five years old.  Today she asked if I would sit by her at lunch.  Her dad even had to move out of the way for me to sit there.  We talked about her fishing experiences.  Seems as if she hooked a great big fish with whiskers not too long ago.  I discovered that is called a catfish since it has those whiskers.  Keeping her catch didn't happen as they put it back into the river she said. I told her that was nice as it could go back to family.  This made her happy.  We watched her younger brother both eat and spread his meal all over.  He was silly.  A good time was had by all as she told me her stories with her big blue eyes.  And so it was the young princess made time for the daft old man.  Life doesn't get much better than that.


Bro. Trey

One good thing about not many reading the blog is you can write almost anything and get away with it.  Chances are that no one would ever know what is said here.  So let's jump off into the recent developments with gay marriage.  God knows tons of websites and writers are offering their opinions on the matter.  Don't look for any groundbreaking information here.  Maybe something might make you think but we all can use a dose of that.


Let me start by saying that if it comes to a vote that I will cast a no.  You can imagine that what follows is not so simple.  We really should not be acting surprised this issue is before us now.  It was coming for a few years.  What was once just a whisper is now loud and clear.  But let us also not get caught in the trap being sprung.  To not be in favor of gay marriage is not the same as being closed minded or mean.  Those in favor of this are laying it out to say that opposition to such an event is bigotry.  We cannot afford to become the enemy they imagine us to be.  Surely we can hold our convictions without being ugly toward others.  Being a believer means knowing how to keep a handle on truth without becoming the monster we imagine the other side to be.


Remember this is much more than an issue.  People are involved which means they matter.  We cannot pick and choose which sin offends us more than another.  Do we forget God loves even the worst of sinner?  Our role is to be faithful but always do so in a way that gives us the avenue to witness.  I do not know all of the reasons why a person chooses that lifestyle.  No one seems to have all of the answers.  But we absolutely must be as sensitive to any sinner as we see Jesus being.  I know some individuals who are gay.  Most, if not all of them are nice people.  None of them are as horrible as we tend to stereotype such a group.  We do tend to just categorize all types of people according to our views of what is acceptable.  We sing about Jesus loving all people.  Perhaps we can pay closer attention to our lyrics.


My views are my own.  No one can take responsibility for them but me.  I would never condone such a lifestyle.  Just also know any relationship with those who may be gay are to be driven by who Jesus is without anger or prejudice.  God's work can grow no matter what social obstacles come our way.  His word always wins out.  We can either get thrown off our game by what happens in the world or stay with what is eternal.  I vote for eternal every time.


Bro. Trey

Celebrating special days is not as simple as it once was.  Mother's Day is an example of how much our world changed.  No one can debate the importance of a mother to a family.  It probably seemed like a good idea years ago to recognize them at least one time per year.  The idea is still a good one but we live in very different times.  No one is at fault for this but we need to recognize life as it is now.  We absolutely should recognize our moms for all they do.  But just take a few realities into account as you do.


We once would recognize the youngest mother in attendance during the church service.  Odds are good most churches no longer take that risk.  Where we once knew the young married woman who just became a mother we now deal with pregnancies in very young women.  Taking note of the mother with the most children was once popular.  Now we know not all women are able to conceive so we would rather not give out an award to those who can.  All of this may sound trivial but it is far from that.  Ours is a world with serious dysfunction in our families.  Even our old friends "The Brady Bunch" might seem out of place.  More than a few families are on their second or third round of being blended.  Life is not easy on the minister who wishes to commemorate this special day.


I learned many years ago that others struggle for other reasons on this day.  You begin with the woman who wonders why she cannot conceive so she avoids the day totally.  Then you have far too many with less than pleasant experiences with their maternal figure.  And yes, the same can be said about the paternal aspect as well.  You get older to realize this day can be bittersweet for many very good people.  They still mourn the loss of a mother.  Perhaps other women grieve for the loss of children.  You can begin to see how this can be a minefield of emotions for people even on a day of celebration.  Knowing how not to recognize the day can be as important as what you do to enjoy it.  You earnestly do want the best for those who gather but you also take into account the abundance of emotions involved.


Let me congratulate those who can make this day special for others.  It very well may be that my sensitivity seems too much.  Those who have a great reason to be happy should do just that.  Just be aware of others who may not have that same elation.  Keep those people in your minds and hearts as you go about the day.  More than a few will find themselves at a cemetery somewhere as the day moves along.  Some may wonder about the conflicted feelings that surge through their being.  Pray much for God to be the ultimate comforter in those who do hurt.  Do not think less of them for being less than joyful.  We all may have differing experience in this day but God will also be with each of us in grace.  Be happy should that be your reality.  Be honest if your heart seems bittersweet.  Just always be sure God will walk with you regardless of where you are this day.


Bro. Trey

If humanity could agree on any one idea it would be that life is difficult.  Such a truth exists whether one is a follower of Jesus or not.  This is not an option for anyone who sets out on the journey of life.  Mankind wrestles with this concept from the beginning of time until now.  Our minds just cannot grasp the reasons for all manner of adversity in our life.  Philosophers write massive works to examine this reality.  Other religions try to rationalize such events.  Other works of literature or various media take their best shot at it.  Despite all of our best efforts to come to grips with difficulty it still remains in some ways undefeated.  Mine is no attempt to give a complete treatise on the topic.  We can focus on something Jesus told us about our painful times.


Jesus told those disciples in John 15 that being pruned is part of the process of spiritual growth.  But what does that mean?  He uses the example of a gardener who trims back excess growth from his plants so they can be healthy and flourish.  In our part of the country, we tend to spend time trimming limbs off of the trees so they can grow tall and strong.  Some people who grow roses prune back the bushes so even more flowers can bloom.  Jesus says this experience takes place even when we are doing well!  Not having problems is no reward for doing things right.  Faith is more than a form of karma.  It remains a living, vital relationship dependent on God to shape our character.  I do believe we need a handle on living with success.  But we tend to get stuck on getting through our pruning times.


One thing to know is sometimes our problems are just problems.  Not everything bad that happens is some subversive attempt to steal our joy.  Be absolutely sure that God is involved in all of life.  He is no bystander to His children.  There are those who will say that surely God didn't know or simply allowed stuff to happen in life.  You may even see it that way and that is allowed.  My view is nothing will occur in my world without His involvement.  God never has to say "oops."  Even the image of Jesus acting as the divine gardener leads us to the image of His constant care and attention.  Even a good farmer doesn't just throw out seed only to tend to the garden occasionally.  I say all of this to lay down a foundational truth.  The spiritual process of pruning is by God's purpose and with His participation.


Such a process can take place in every area of our world.  It is not limited to the religious life or to physical issues.  God may shape our personality by digging into our emotional part of life.  Our attitudes determine far more of our world than we want to admit.  Even our experiences while moving through life may affect us more than we wish.  We may need healing for past pain so we can enjoy the present blessings of God.  Here is another simple idea we overlook most times.  What is painful at the time is God's way to make more room for Him.  I am not trying to minimize just how much it can hurt.  Neither am I trying to tell you to deny that pain.  My words are aimed for you to direct both your mind and heart to God who can handle your hurts.  He can tell you what is going on and why.  He can give you the truth should you be able to handle it.


We can write tons more but will stop here.  Maybe you can get something to help you yield to God's activity even if it is difficult.  You can make such times a blessing when you remain anchored to God.  Just remember He never ever abandons you.


Bro. Trey

Storms have a way of interfering with plans of any type.  Last night's display was no different.  Radar was showing the worst of the weather going around us here.  It was wrong.  Things were never really dangerous but we did lose power during the late evening news.  What made matters worse was the transformer near the house sputtered and sparked as the lights went out.  Calling the electric company was possible due to having a charged cell phone.  I knew it would do little good to get all of the lines connected if they did not know we had a bigger problem.  Only my daughter and I were fully aware of the issue.  Everyone else was sound asleep.  So we talked about odds and ends until we finally closed our eyes.  We woke to the sound of various electrical things around the house coming back on sometime in the middle of the night.  I say all of that to point out why there was no writing yesterday.


Having the daughter home is a change of pace after the last few months.  You can read past posts where I discuss how quiet life is when she is away.  Our traffic into the home already picked up since her arrival.  Boxes are still being unpacked with her collection of clothes and such.  It is a reminder of what we were trying to talk about on Sunday night.  What can we do to get into a position where our character is more like Jesus?  The answer like most is that what is simple may not always be easy.  Jesus talks about something called abiding in John 15.  My best analogy is that He seeks to make Himself at home in our life.  This is far more than being a special guest on occasion.  What is important is Jesus is allowed to make our heart into His home.  He will then begin to change our personality in ways we cannot begin to imagine.


We are naturally thrilled to know Jesus.  Most are at least interested in being a follower of His.  But it is a far different ballgame to have Him radically being in charge of both our destiny and our character.  We often tell our guests to "make themselves at home."  We do not expect them to rearrange our furniture or move into our bedroom to sleep.  Actions like that will turn even the most welcome visitor into a former friend.  But this is exactly what Jesus does or wishes to do when He enters our life.  He seeks to take out everything that is not to His liking.  He also wishes to give us whatever is needed to shape our life.  This can be painful at times.  We like our stuff right where it is.  Our minds cannot conceive of anyone just shifting our stuff into patterns we do not enjoy.  But if we invite Jesus into our heart then that is just what will begin to happen.  It is a process that does not end until He calls us home.


You abide when you allow scripture to get beyond the surface of your intellect.  God is speaking to you through His word so you stop to hear what He is saying.  You abide by listening to God as much as you say your prayers.  We may not think much about hearing God's voice but it can and must be done for real maturity to happen.  You abide by letting go of whatever He says needs to be gone.  I know full well this can be difficult at best but it makes a world of difference. You abide by building His truth into every area of your being.  This is not just for your religious life but for every single aspect.  So we are left with that one question again.  Is Jesus simply a welcome guest in your life to leave things as they are or will you let Him be at home in all you are?


Bro. Trey

Returning to the blog world isn't easy after being away a few days.  Last week revolved around getting everything my daughter took to college back home.  We really did well in the packing and loading.  It was the aftermath as usual that took its toll.  Then school was out on Friday for whatever reason.  My youngest and I spent that day together even though yard mowing was on the agenda.  Everything seemed off for those few days.  Let it be know that we are a creature of habit for the most part.  At least that project is behind me.  There are more than a few waiting on me over the next week.  


Today was all about the words of Jesus in John 15.  This is the time when He talks about what it means to truly please God.  We often let our minds determine our own value on such matters.  Odds are good most people who go to church live with the mindset they are successful when perhaps we miss the point.  Jesus took up some strange language to talk about how we make a life that counts.  Vines and fruit take center stage when it comes to this passage.  You should realize there is no limit to the message or the application to His words.  What is really being said is that when we reproduce the character or personality of Jesus then we are at our best in pleasing Him.  Churches often take up other priorities rather than this singular focus.  God seeks to take all of us to shape our likeness into that of Jesus.  It may sound rather simple but be sure it is not easy.


We make two mistakes when it comes to serious spiritual growth.  The first one is we get caught up in being moved more by personality than character.  We simply look to someone or something to come along and rescue us.  The more charismatic a person is will often lead to our devotion.  That is a huge trap that stifles real maturity.  Long term success is evaluated much more on our character than how flashy we may be.  The other mistake is we equate being a good church member with being a follower of Jesus.  This is like putting the cart before the horse.  One huge reason for the demise of church life is our attention becomes set on making rules rather than building a relationship with God.  Those first followers were intentionally working at being disciples prior to becoming a congregation.  This is why they exploded both in numbers and in changing the world.  No other option is really valid than this.


Somewhere along the line we lost that central idea of being more like Jesus.  It may sound like a cliche but it still matters.  Going through the motions was not something God really intended in this thing called being a Christian.  I fully realize we say that often but do we get the hint?  To bring glory to God is at the best of our spiritual purpose.  It isn't something we do by ourselves.  How this happens will take another post or two to answer.  Just be absolutely sure that you are loved by God to do more than take up space on a pew.  Besides, don't you want to do more than that?


Bro. Trey